Forum Thesis: Spaniards Bow to Their Exploiters

The Thesis of Submission: Worshipping Those Who Exploit

The greater the abuse, the greater the devotion. This is the paradox underlying an uncomfortable diagnosis of the Spanish mentality: the so-called slave soul thesis, which suggests the country doesn't rebel against those who steal from, exploit, or humiliate it, but rather bows more eagerly the crueler the master. The average Spaniard puts up with it, and their submission grows in inverse proportion to the treatment they receive, according to this interpretation. The portrait points to three culprits: religion, feudalism, and now, politics.

Why, According to One Viewpoint, Do Spaniards Tolerate the Powerful and Prey on the Weak?

One intervention describes Spaniards as civilly cowardly, with a submissive mentality appeasing the master; for this viewpoint, the master can be called Florentino, Amancio, or the local village boss. The formula used is: weak with the strong, strong with the weak. For this viewpoint, this leads to a climate of solidarity where being smarter than the neighbor prevails, even if it means bringing them down.

Among the historical causes, the debate points to the harshest feudalism and centuries of a theocracy that penalized knowledge. The corollary, according to one of the interventions, would be an absence of public ethics and a work culture replaced by one of quick gains, shady deals, and public money.

From the Feudal Master to the Electoral Master

The diagnosis is transferred to the present: vassalage is no longer sworn to a lord, but to a political party. "The PSOE is our master and we pay homage to it", summarizes one intervention, while another argues that the mere benefit of getting rid of the PSOE is enough reason to vote. On the other hand, another intervention contends that in Spain, people don't vote for the common good, but with their gut feelings and to spite the other side. Some claim they left the country 15 years ago.