Spanish Empire

[Infected Mushroom]

Please consider the following hypothetical:

You are the ruler of Spain when the Spanish Empire reaches its maximum territorial zenith.

You are aware through a series of visions that in the next few hundred years (and it has already begun), Spain will decline through problems of corruption, poor economic policies, de-urbanization, and eventual occupation by Napoleon setting off waves of treason and civil war across the Americas. Spain will then lose almost all of its colonies before suffering eventual defeat in the Spanish-American War. History’s main movers will become the British.

You don’t want this to happen. You want to extend the glory and duration of the Spanish Empire. So what do you do?

Please assume that your goal is to keep all colonies, maintain authoritarian rule, and extend Spain’s overall power past the IRL timeline.

I would focus on diversifying the economy. Invest the large amounts of silver into developing industry. Urbanization, particularly in the homeland of Spain would need to be promoted. This may backfire, but I would want to get rd if the pro-Peninsular emphasis in colonial managements and grant more equality to the Creoles to minimize their resentment towards Madrid. I would not have supported the Americans in the American Revolution (it’s a waste of money) and they would have won without our help anyways. I would probably align with Napoleon’s enemies sooner. He could then be attacked from two fronts at an earlier point in the war. Hopefully Spain doesn’t get occupied in this timeline and the New World doesn’t betray us.

[Neanderthaland]

So first I turn off Ironman mode. That'll make the whole thing much easier.

Then I spam "cash" and "powerpoints" as much as possible.

[Relden]

I write up a list of people I believe are responsible and fire them.

[Deacarsia]

I would implement economic policies to encourage the industrialization of Spain and the rapid development of industry, similar to those implemented by the British Empire and later by the United States of America.

I would stay out of conflicts with other European powers to the extent possible, while simultaneously building up the Spanish army and navy. I would work to encourage ecnomic and technological innovation without sacrificing the Catholic religious establishment, crucial to Spanish unity and identity.

Overall, I would enact reforms to modernize the empire and promote its continued growth and expansion as a world power.

Implementaria políticas economicas para fomentar la industrializacion de España y el rápido desenvolvimiento de la industria, semejantes á las implementadas por el Imperio Británico y posteriormente por los Estados Unidos de América.

Me quedaria fuera de los conflictos con otras potencias europeas en la medida de lo posible, á la hora en que fortalecia simultaneamente el exército y la marina españoles. Laboria para fomentar la innovacion económica y tecnológica sin sacrificar el establecimiento religioso católico, crucial para la unidad y la identidad españolas.

En general, aprobaria reformas para modernizar el imperio y promover su continuo crecimiento y expansion como potencia mundial.

He usado intencionalmente ortografía y gramática anticuadas.

[Washington Resistance Army]

You are the ruler of Spain when the Spanish Empire reaches its maximum territorial zenith.

I'll probably be killed in 5 minutes because I'm a polytheist who doesn't even speak Spanish so RIP me and the Spanish Empire.

[Antipatros]

I would channel the energy of Charles II of Spain in order to strengthen the empire.

[The Selkie]

Good morning,
first time doing something like that, so here I go: I do not much.
Presuming I am really in 1790 and I really am Charles IV of Spain (remember the "[...] maximum territorial zenith." - 1790), I am a simple-minded, amiable guy with a passion for hunting, my elder brother having been passed over due to epilepsi and learning disabilities. I am a Bourbon.
My father was a hard working man, who reformed, who was enlightened, who tried to reinvigorate the country and its colonial empire. I am a lazy sod.
Plus, it's 1790 - no matter what I do, I am already buggered. Spain is already buggered. In the year before, the citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille and I know, that in nine short years, a not-so-small man from Corsica will be Consul of France. In three years, I will have to face the French in the French Revolutionary Wars and but one short year later, I (or rather my army) will get its rear end handed to it in the Battle of the Black Mountain. In the year after that, I will have to accept the conditions of the Peace of Basel, which ended the War of the Pyrenees. In 1808, popular revolts will remove me and my successor, Ferdinand VII, but Napoleon, with whom I am allied by that point, will not support me and instead install his brother as new King, kicking off the Peninsular War. In 1810, the first colonies will declare their independence, most notably Mexico.
I am aware of that due to the first visions, sent to me by God (I presume, as I am a Spanish King). The rest, Spain in the 19th and 20th centuries, but also after Franco, is just the icing on the cake.

Three quarters of that I am shown are things I do not understand - I do not understand the industry, which I see in modern Spain, the weapons used in the wars to come after Napoleon (how can ships sail without... well, sails?!), and blimey, these women are getting a bit uppity, aren't they (please don't hurt me, my lovely wife)?
But I also see, that after Franco, modern Spain isn't that bad off: It is a respected nation surrounded by peers and friends, it is rich (the people don't suffer mass starvation, which is a start for the day), sure, the Catalonians could shut up one of these days, but they have acted up during my reign, during the reigns of my predecessors and since the dawn of time, it seems - nothing out of the ordinary.
As King of Spain, it is my duty to act to the best of my interests and Spain's interests. So, accelerating the downfall, which is to come due to things outside of my control anyway, is the only option left to me. Maybe, here and there, I can convince my domineering Queen and Godoy to let a reform or two pass, which jump-starts the industrial revolution, and I would seek a replacement for the unpopular Minister Godoy (or not appoint him in the first place, Cevallos was such a nice, anti-French man).
However, I would still side with Napoleon (though tell him to watch that lip), still allow his troops to march through Spain against Portugal (though with a noticeably larger Spanish presence, thus letting it appear less like an invasion) and I would see to it, that on the 21st of October 1805, the fleet stays in port. As for the colonies, let them attain independence - peacefully. And I would see, that the Plan of Iguala would be adopted, thus a Spanish Prince would rule Mexico... a valuable alliance partner.
And I would leave Ferdinand with advice: Napoleon will eventually fall. Be prepared to switch side when that time comes.

[Picairn]

1790, the time when the Spanish Empire was at its peak, is already too late for any structural reforms.

[Heloin]

I release all the Spanish colonies as independent states allowing them to achieve statehood without costly wars. I replace the military command with peasants and low ranking officers who honestly know how to run the military better then the officers who bought their ranks more as a flex because that’s what nobility does. Dissolve all areas of the monarchy and set up a parliamentary republic with universal suffrage. Then spend the rest of my days chilling in Ibiza as the last monarch of the newly created Spanish Republic.

[Infected Mushroom]

I release all the Spanish colonies as independent states allowing them to achieve statehood without costly wars. I replace the military command with peasants and low ranking officers who honestly know how to run the military better then the officers who bought their ranks more as a flex because that’s what nobility does. Dissolve all areas of the monarchy and set up a parliamentary republic with universal suffrage. Then spend the rest of my days chilling in Ibiza as the last monarch of the newly created Spanish Republic.

What about a solution where the glorious Spanish monarchy with its powerful empire and colonies are maintained?

You can lose a few colonies if need be but I would like to see most of the Central and South American colonies make it into the 20th century and for Spain to play a role in World War I and World War II as a first rate power. Can it happen with a king at the helm?

[Ifreann]

Please assume that your goal is to keep all colonies, maintain authoritarian rule, and extend Spain’s overall power past the IRL timeline.

Those are all bad things. Why are you asking us to brainstorm ways to accomplish evil things?

[Heloin]

I release all the Spanish colonies as independent states allowing them to achieve statehood without costly wars. I replace the military command with peasants and low ranking officers who honestly know how to run the military better then the officers who bought their ranks more as a flex because that’s what nobility does. Dissolve all areas of the monarchy and set up a parliamentary republic with universal suffrage. Then spend the rest of my days chilling in Ibiza as the last monarch of the newly created Spanish Republic.

What about a solution where the glorious Spanish monarchy with its powerful empire and colonies are maintained?

I can’t see a reason to make millions suffer for the sake of some inbreed europeans.

You can lose a few colonies if need be but I would like to see most of the Central and South American colonies make it into the 20th century and for Spain to play a role in World War I and World War II as a first rate power. Can it happen with a king at the helm?

And I’d want millions to die needlessly in wars why? There are no points that you can look at the First World War and think killing men in France and Belgium benefits anyone.

[Technoscience Leftwing]

Please consider the following hypothetical:

You are the ruler of Spain when the Spanish Empire reaches its maximum territorial zenith.

You are aware through a series of visions that in the next few hundred years (and it has already begun), Spain will decline through problems of corruption, poor economic policies, de-urbanization, and eventual occupation by Napoleon setting off waves of treason and civil war across the Americas. Spain will then lose almost all of its colonies before suffering eventual defeat in the Spanish-American War. History’s main movers will become the British.

You don’t want this to happen. You want to extend the glory and duration of the Spanish Empire. So what do you do?

Please assume that your goal is to keep all colonies, maintain authoritarian rule, and extend Spain’s overall power past the IRL timeline.

I would focus on diversifying the economy. Invest the large amounts of silver into developing industry. Urbanization, particularly in the homeland of Spain would need to be promoted. This may backfire, but I would want to get rd if the pro-Peninsular emphasis in colonial managements and grant more equality to the Creoles to minimize their resentment towards Madrid. I would not have supported the Americans in the American Revolution (it’s a waste of money) and they would have won without our help anyways. I would probably align with Napoleon’s enemies sooner. He could then be attacked from two fronts at an earlier point in the war. Hopefully Spain doesn’t get occupied in this timeline and the New World doesn’t betray us.

Well, I would organize a knightly order around the throne, from among the poor hidalgo. So that they help me defeat the noble aristocrats, and destroy the top of the church and the Inquisition. Instead of the old church, loyal to Rome and the Pope, would create a loyal Spanish church structure. She would proclaim the highest merit before heaven to actually improve the lives of people through the development of technology. I would divide the lands confiscated from the aristocrats and former church hierarchs as follows: 70% to the state latifundia, and 30% to be divided among the peasants in order to attract the peasantry to my side. Then I would create a network of schools where everyone would be taught literacy, technology and natural science for free. In the colonies, would give the right of citizenship to loyal Indians, creating special military units from them. In Peru, would encourage the mass farming of alpacas, and create factories for the production of cloth from their wool - preempting the emergence of the English cloth industry. This cloth would fill up the European markets (dumping). Also in America, i would develop the production of spices and gold products. On the borders with Europe, i would encourage the development of Spanish trading cities, relying on loyal merchants and cutting off the disloyal part of the bourgeoisie. At the same time, factories would be owned by the state, labor safety and an 8-hour working day would be observed to prevent labor unrest. Such an order would have attracted the sympathy of the broad masses in Europe. In addition, in Europe it would be useful to finance the opposition against the anti-Spanish monarchs, contributing to the enthronement of the pro-Hispanic monarchs. Perhaps this would turn Spain into the flagship of European industrial modernization.

Of course, this program was influenced by: 1) Ivan the Terrible's reprisals against the aristocracy in favor of bureaucracy and centralism. 2) The politics Rodriguez de Francia and Velasco in Paraguay on secularization, the agrarian question, and nationalization. 3) Lenin's "New Economic Policy" (the market sector of the economy is much smaller than the state sector - but exists, subject to loyalty to the government, compliance with antimonopoly and labor legislation). But what kind of program did you expect from an author from Russia? ;-) Of course, this society would not have been abundant and free; during the period of the Spanish Empire, the material basis was not ready for this. However, even the proposed measures might have accelerated progress.

[United Australasian Commonwealth]

I will make the Spanish Empire a bit more like my nation the United Australasian Commonwealth (like them becoming constituent nations) but with less Afrikaners and more Spaniards . If we are assuming that the Spanish Netherlands stay part a of Spain , Bruselas like Brussel (the Afrikaans way of saying Brussels) will become the capital of the United Spanish Commonwealth ( Spanish : Commonwealth Española Unida , Dutch : Verenigd Spaans Gemenebest)

[Hispida]

i would do absolutely nothing. in fact, i would deteriorate it even further. death to the empire, death to the monarchy

[United Australasian Commonwealth]

So first I turn off Ironman mode. That'll make the whole thing much easier.

Then I spam "cash" and "powerpoints" as much as possible.

based and redpilled




Now that's how you play EU4

[Atomic Testing Museum]

I would centralize the Spanish empire, keep Louisiana, ally Spain with the British Empire during the Napoleonic wars, integrate the Philippines, and kill James Monroe before he can make the Monroe doctrine. I would also industrialize and build up my army and maybe grant dominion status to some colonies.

[Lescaaris]

Waste my entire gold income just to spam settlers. I’d send those settlers to create new colonies cities on different continents so I can get free builders. Spam building campuses and missions because no one can stop infinite science.

[Kubra]

You are the ruler of Spain when the Spanish Empire reaches its maximum territorial zenith.

I'll probably be killed in 5 minutes because I'm a polytheist who doesn't even speak Spanish so RIP me and the Spanish Empire.

Oooooh so long as your french is fine

[Vikanias]

Me as Spain’s king:

First I’d not treat the natives of my colonies like absolute shit, instead I would slowly assimilate them and give them more power. Secondly I’d let my colonies trade with the outside world instead of eachother and me. Make their economies robust enough to further enrich myself. Third, I’d send my daughter to England to marry tbenr royal family adn give myself a personal union. Spains greatest extent is around 100 years away from the industrial revolution I’d use the shit I saw in the vision and make Spain the worlds industrial power. Then i’d bring stability to mainakdn Spain and establish alliances with other European states (France was chill with Spain and I have my daughter with the English so that’s two down). And try to stop the French Revolution by trying to stop the American revolution. This may backfire as the revolution may start earlier and with my advanced age I will send spies to kill Napoleon to maybe not end my Empire.

[Kubra]

Me as Spain’s king:

First I’d not treat the natives of my colonies like absolute shit, instead I would slowly assimilate them and give them more power. Secondly I’d let my colonies trade with the outside world instead of eachother and me. Make their economies robust enough to further enrich myself. Third, I’d send my daughter to England to marry tbenr royal family adn give myself a personal union. Spains greatest extent is around 100 years away from the industrial revolution I’d use the shit I saw in the vision and make Spain the worlds industrial power. Then i’d bring stability to mainakdn Spain and establish alliances with other European states (France was chill with Spain and I have my daughter with the English so that’s two down). And try to stop the French Revolution by trying to stop the American revolution. This may backfire as the revolution may start earlier and with my advanced age I will send spies to kill Napoleon to maybe not end my Empire.

You seriously overestimate the power of the crown. There was a particular spanish king who sent a letter to the conquistador's the tune of "yo can you guys be a little less dickish" and the response was "lol if we could then we wouldn't be here".

[Risottia]

I would implement economic policies to encourage the industrialization of Spain and the rapid development of industry

Three problems:
1.No coal in Spain.
2.No iron ore in Spain.
3.Most of Spain is semiarid.

How do you drive an industrial revolution without having resources to make steel and steam engines in your own metropolitan territory? Are you going to carry iron ore and coal through the ocean on wooden ships? Or are you going to build your industries in your colonies only?

[Vikanias]

Me as Spain’s king:

First I’d not treat the natives of my colonies like absolute shit, instead I would slowly assimilate them and give them more power. Secondly I’d let my colonies trade with the outside world instead of eachother and me. Make their economies robust enough to further enrich myself. Third, I’d send my daughter to England to marry tbenr royal family adn give myself a personal union. Spains greatest extent is around 100 years away from the industrial revolution I’d use the shit I saw in the vision and make Spain the worlds industrial power. Then i’d bring stability to mainakdn Spain and establish alliances with other European states (France was chill with Spain and I have my daughter with the English so that’s two down). And try to stop the French Revolution by trying to stop the American revolution. This may backfire as the revolution may start earlier and with my advanced age I will send spies to kill Napoleon to maybe not end my Empire.

You seriously overestimate the power of the crown. There was a particular spanish king who sent a letter to the conquistador's the tune of "yo can you guys be a little less dickish" and the response was "lol if we could then we wouldn't be here".

You underestimate how stupid I am.

[Infected Mushroom]

I would implement economic policies to encourage the industrialization of Spain and the rapid development of industry

Three problems:
1.No coal in Spain.
2.No iron ore in Spain.
3.Most of Spain is semiarid.

How do you drive an industrial revolution without having resources to make steel and steam engines in your own metropolitan territory? Are you going to carry iron ore and coal through the ocean on wooden ships? Or are you going to build your industries in your colonies only?

Would industrializing the colonies mean they are more likely to want to break from Spain?

Is it okay for a few colonies to surpass Spain economically but not militarily and politically? Or is it too much of a tightrope?

Which Spanish Viceroyalty would be best for industrialization? Mexico?

[Comfed]

Nothing. I’ll be dead by the time my empire unravels.

If I were more farsighted, I’d probably make Spain more creditworthy and embrace the new merchant class.