During the Bienio progresista period in 1855, Spanish Treasury Minister Pascual Madoz carried out a large-scale confiscation and auctioning off of properties that had belonged to the state, clergy, military orders, charities, and municipalities. This confiscation achieved a greater sales volume than previous ones, raising 7.8 billion reales that were mainly used to cover budget deficits and debt repayment. Properties auctioned off had originally belonged to the church (35%), charities (15%), and municipalities (50%).

1. 
The confiscation of
Madoz
BILINGUAL PROGRAMME
Subject: History of Spain
Teacher: Carmen Molina Povea
Language assistant: Jonathan Paterson Steward
IES NAZARÍ- SALOBREÑA- GRANADA

2. Pascual Madoz

3. The confiscation of Madoz 1855
During the Bienio progresista (at the forefront of which was again
Baldomero Espartero, along with O'Donnell) the Treasury Minister Pascual
Madoz carried out a new confiscation in 1855, executed with greater control
than the Mendizábal. It declared for sale all properties of the State, the
clergy, the Military Orders (Santiago, Alcántara, Calatrava, Montesa and
St. John of Jerusalem), confraternities, pious works, sanctuaries or
shrines, of the former Infante Don Carlos, of the bienes de propios
(properties owned by a City Hall to provide a rent at the same for be
leased) and of the commons of the people, of the charity and of the
public instruction, with the exceptions of the Pious Schools and the
hospitals of Saint John of God, dedicated to education and medical care
respectively, since they reduced the government spending in these areas.
Likewise were allowed the confiscation of the censuses belonging to the same
organizations.

4. This was the confiscation which achieved greater sales volume and had a
higher importance than all previous. However, the historians have
traditionally been much more occupied towards that of the Mendizábal, whose
importance lies in its duration, the large volume of mobilized goods and the
large repercussions that it had in the Spanish society.[15]
Having been the subject of confrontation between conservatives and liberals,
there came a time when all political parties recognized the need to rescue
those idle assets in order to incorporate to the higher economic development of
the country. Was suspended the application of the law on 14 October 1856 and
resumed two years later, on 2 October 1858, being O'Donnell president of the
Council of Ministers. The changes of government did not affect the auctions,
which continued until the end of the century. In 1867 it sold a total of 198 523
rural properties and 27 442 urban. The state entered 7 856 000 000 reales
between 1855 and 1895, almost twice that obtained with the confiscation of
Mendizábal. This money was mainly spent to cover the State budget
deficit, public debt repayment and public works, reserving 30 million
reales per year for "reconstruction and repair of some churches of
Spain".

5. Traditionally this period has been called a civil confiscation, a misnomer,
because if it is true that there were auctioned a large number of farms that had
been the common property of the people, which was a novelty,there were also
sold many goods until then belonging to the Church, especially those which
were in the possession of the secular clergy, but that was, in short, a very
serious abuse and looting of the goods of the rural people, farmers, who
depended heavily on them and condemned millions to emigration and
proletarianization in cities.
Overall, it is estimated that of all that was sold off, 35% belonged to the church,
15% to charity and 50% were municipal properties, mainly peoples or towns.
The Municipal Statute by José Calvo Sotelo of 1924 finally repealed the laws
on confiscation of property of the people and thus the confiscation of Madoz.
Source:https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Spanish_confiscation.html

6. QUESTIONS
1.- During which period did the confiscation occur?
2.- Who was responsible for the confiscation?
3.- What did the confiscation involve?
4.- What did the confiscation achieve?
5.- How was the money raised spent?
6.- How was this period traditionally called?
7.- During the confiscation many properties were sold off. Who did these
properties originally belong to, and how much did each group or institution
own?

7. QUESTIONS
1.- During which period did the confiscation occur?
2.- Who was responsible for the confiscation?
3.- What did the confiscation involve?
4.- What did the confiscation achieve?
5.- How was the money raised spent?
6.- How was this period traditionally called?
7.- During the confiscation many properties were sold off. Who did these
properties originally belong to, and how much did each group or institution
own?