Post-war Spain paradox: Did grandparents live better than us?
In the 1940s, an illiterate worker bought a Madrid flat outright. Today, engineers struggle to rent. Have we regressed?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Did your illiterate grandfather live better than you, with a degree and a job?
The comparison sounds like a joke, but it resurfaces periodically: in post-war Spain, amidst devastation and 30% illiteracy, an unskilled worker could buy a new flat in Madrid outright within two years. Today, a 40-year-old engineer can barely afford to rent a room. Pogre or regression?
The myth of the illiterate grandfather
This argument, popular among those skeptical of the official narrative, claims that Franco's autarky policies allowed uneducated men to buy new-build housing in the capital, support a family of five, and fill their baskets with fresh produce at local markets. In the 1940s, housing was accessible: paid for in cash with two years' salary. Today, buying an old flat from that same era requires a 50-year mortgage on two full incomes.
The gap extends beyond housing. A weekly shopping basket, which cost 2,000 pesetas in high-quality local produce in the 1980s, now exceeds €200 for noodles, pangasius, and processed foods. And electricity bills: some households pay €250 a month, a figure not even reached in the UK, despite having Europe's highest energy costs.
The other side of the coin: hunger and repression
Critics remind us that the 1940s were marked by hunger, cold, and misery. The post-war period brought rationing, double-digit inflation, and appalling infant mortality. Jobs existed, yes, but under exploitative conditions without labor rights. Comparing this to today, where even the poor have access to basic goods and social benefits, insults those who suffered real hardship.
Furthermore, selection bias is noted: only those who managed to have grandchildren survived to tell the tale. Many men died young and poor, leaving no descendants. Nostalgia for the past hides the misery of those who did not make it.
Economic freedom or decline?
The debate goes beyond anecdote. Behind the comparison lies a critique of the current economic model: real estate speculation, job insecurity, and loss of purchasing power. It is argued that neoliberalism has turned housing into a financial asset and precarious employment to the point where a single salary cannot sustain a dignified life. The proposal to build public, de-commodified housing resurges as the only way out.
But changing models is not free. Autarky offered security at the cost of freedom and rights. Fascism guaranteed cheap housing and stable jobs, but also political and social repression. The uncomfortable question is whether the price of liberties has been too high for our wallets.
Food for thought
- An illiterate person in the 1940s bought a new flat in Madrid outright in 2 years.
- Today, a 40-year-old engineer can barely rent a room.
- Weekly shopping went from 2,000 pesetas in fresh produce to over €200 in processed food.
- Estimated loss of purchasing power is 90% compared to the grandparents' generation.
Lacking reliable disaggregated data, street-level evidence remains: entire generations accept owning a home as a luxury. The question is whether changing the model was worth it.
The comparison sounds like a joke, but it resurfaces periodically: in post-war Spain, amidst devastation and 30% illiteracy, an unskilled worker could buy a new flat in Madrid outright within two years. Today, a 40-year-old engineer can barely afford to rent a room. Pogre or regression?
The myth of the illiterate grandfather
This argument, popular among those skeptical of the official narrative, claims that Franco's autarky policies allowed uneducated men to buy new-build housing in the capital, support a family of five, and fill their baskets with fresh produce at local markets. In the 1940s, housing was accessible: paid for in cash with two years' salary. Today, buying an old flat from that same era requires a 50-year mortgage on two full incomes.
The gap extends beyond housing. A weekly shopping basket, which cost 2,000 pesetas in high-quality local produce in the 1980s, now exceeds €200 for noodles, pangasius, and processed foods. And electricity bills: some households pay €250 a month, a figure not even reached in the UK, despite having Europe's highest energy costs.
The other side of the coin: hunger and repression
Critics remind us that the 1940s were marked by hunger, cold, and misery. The post-war period brought rationing, double-digit inflation, and appalling infant mortality. Jobs existed, yes, but under exploitative conditions without labor rights. Comparing this to today, where even the poor have access to basic goods and social benefits, insults those who suffered real hardship.
Furthermore, selection bias is noted: only those who managed to have grandchildren survived to tell the tale. Many men died young and poor, leaving no descendants. Nostalgia for the past hides the misery of those who did not make it.
Economic freedom or decline?
The debate goes beyond anecdote. Behind the comparison lies a critique of the current economic model: real estate speculation, job insecurity, and loss of purchasing power. It is argued that neoliberalism has turned housing into a financial asset and precarious employment to the point where a single salary cannot sustain a dignified life. The proposal to build public, de-commodified housing resurges as the only way out.
But changing models is not free. Autarky offered security at the cost of freedom and rights. Fascism guaranteed cheap housing and stable jobs, but also political and social repression. The uncomfortable question is whether the price of liberties has been too high for our wallets.
Food for thought
- An illiterate person in the 1940s bought a new flat in Madrid outright in 2 years.
- Today, a 40-year-old engineer can barely rent a room.
- Weekly shopping went from 2,000 pesetas in fresh produce to over €200 in processed food.
- Estimated loss of purchasing power is 90% compared to the grandparents' generation.
Lacking reliable disaggregated data, street-level evidence remains: entire generations accept owning a home as a luxury. The question is whether changing the model was worth it.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (151 replies).
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