Una experiencia malograda: la Sociedad de Socorros Mutuos del Clero (1847-1857)

Abstract

Often, history contains bankrupt experiences, episodes that would remain forever unknown if the researcher´s work would not bring them to light. This is the case of the Society of Mutual Aids of the Clergy. Its creation responds to the initiative of a group of priests willing to find solutions to the difficult situation in which the clergy was, instead of complaining or missing past times, but also with the emulation desire, seen the good results, of the associations of workers that had begun to be constituted in Spain at those moments. However, Its short trajectory seems to have gone between economic difficulties and disagreements among its partners that finally will ruin the Society. In spite of this, many clergymen found in it an aid when more they needed it. Its final failure evidences, it is certain, the lack of solidarity and the lack of union of many of its members, but it does not hide those that responded positively and tried that the Society continued being a reality.