스페인의 사회불평등

Abstract

This article explores social inequality in Spain by looking at class stratification and regional inequality. In the twentieth century Spain shifted from an agricultural society to a service society through an industrial stage. In this process the new middle class increased while the old middle class and the working class shrank. For the analysis of social stratification in Spanish society an unequal development by region may not be overlooked. This society has diverse regional characteristics as viewed from historical and cultural perspectives. However, various socioeconomic indicators reveal that regional inequality and discrepancy have decreased for the past several decades. Based on recent statistics, this study classifies seventeen regions (comunidades aut？nomas) into the three groups such as advanced, intermediate and backward, and then examines the main features of each group. This article discusses that regional differences in terms of socioeconomic resources and cultural identity highlight the internal diversity of Spanish society.