Violencia: A New History of Spain: Past, Present and the Future of the West

by Jason Webster

Spain has never worked as a democracy. Throughout the country's history only one system of government has ever enjoyed any real success: dictatorship and the use of violence.

Violence, in fact, is what Spain is made of, lying at the heart of its culture and identity, far more so than any other western European nation. For well over a thousand years, the country has only ever been forged and then been held together through the use of aggression - brutal, merciless terror and warfare directed against its own people. Without it the country breaks apart and Spain ceases to exist - a fact that recent events in Barcelona confirm. Authoritarianism is the Spanish default setting.

Yet Spain has produced many of the most important artists and thinkers in the Western world, from Cervantes, author of the first modern novel, to Goya, the first modern painter. Much of Western artistic expression, in fact, from the Picaresque to Cubism, would be unthinkable without the Spanish contribution. This unique national genius, however, does not exist despite Spain's violent backdrop; it is, in fact, born out of it. Indeed Spain's genius and violent nature go hand in hand, locked together in a macabre, elaborate dance. This is the country's tragedy.

La Violencia unveils this truth for the first time, exposing the bloody heart of Spain - from its origins in the ancient past to the Civil War and the current crisis in Catalonia. La Violencia will be in the tradition of those books which come to define our understanding of a country.

Genres: History, Spain, Nonfiction, European History

432 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2019

About the author

Jason Webster is a highly acclaimed Anglo-American author and authority on Spain whose work ranges from biography to travel, crime fiction and history. His books have sold in over a dozen countries, including the US, the UK and China, and have been nominated both for the Guardian First Book Award and the Crime Writers’ Association New Blood Dagger Award. He has been favourably compared with writers such as Bruce Chatwin (The Daily Mail), Gerald Brenan (El País) and Ernest Hemingway (Sunday Telegraph).

Webster was born near San Francisco and brought up in the UK, Germany and Italy. After finishing a degree in Arabic and Islamic History at the University of Oxford, he worked as an editor at the BBC World Service for several years before becoming a full-time writer and moving to Spain. He is married to the flamenco dancer Salud and they have two sons. They currently divide their time between Valencia and the UK.

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four hundred pages to survey Spanish history from Neanderthal times until the present day. It's a big ask, but one that Webster accomplishes engagingly. Inevitably, it's a bit of a gallop, and it's clear that this is only a brief introduction to those stories which provoke curiosity - Moorish Spain is something I certainly want to know much more about. He also more or less ignores many regions - Catalonia only gets mentioned as modern times approach, and others are ignored completely. Anecdotes - about paella for example - get more space than is justified in this broad narrative. And the entire narrative is written to support his theory that violence is Spain's only way of addressing conflict. So while I found this account highly readable, it made me aware of how much more I need to know before I can evaluate this somewhat partial account. Nevertheless - recommended as a starting point for anyone who, like me, needs o start somewhere.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spain is a forerunner. Often overlooked by the rest of Europe despite her telling history and influence. She may once again be flagging a path. Read Jason Webster's book for a most interesting viewpoint.

[Simon Robson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve loved all of Jason’s books on Spain. He is extremely knowledgeable and engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed many parts of this book but I found some parts heavy going and for me made it a difficult read at times.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable hop skip and jump through Spanish history. Fell away for me a little at the end.

[Nick East · Rating 4 out of 5]

To write about the entire history of Spain from Neanderthal times to the present day in 400 pages is a gargantuan task, but one, I believe, that Jason Webster pulls off with aplomb. I'm not an expert, so I assume he has glossed over a lot of things in the history of this wonderful country. However, the book itself is an engaging, accessible and very interesting read and comes to a number of unique conclusions. If you have even a passing interest in the history and culture of Spain this book is recommended.

[Ulrika Eriksson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason Webster has made a hugely interesting, respectful and loving presentation of Spain, a country consisting of regions that through history never have accepted to be governed by a central power and so every century has had at least one civil war. Paradoxically, hand in hand with Spain's violent history have walked a plethora of great men, women and discoveries. These are also portrayed but, writes Webster, unfortunately many of them are hardly remembered today because of a collective amnesia among the people.

[Luke DL Monahan · Rating 2 out of 5]

In Webster’s, strict adherence to his hypothesis regarding to Spain he culminates in a needless equivocation between the Republic and the fascist that over through them. For every atrocity committed by Franco Webster looks to find a suitable Republican one to compare it against yet the worst of the Republican atrocities are mirrored by an average Francoist tactic of mass killing.

[Tom Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book written in an accessible style. Would be an ideal book to read as a general intro to Spanish history before reading other books which are specifically about subjects like the Civil War or Franco.

[Amber Meller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very detailed book on Spain and easily read.

[Harry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has been a year, unintentionally, of angry books — Wendell Berry’s righteously enraged What Are People For? ; Barbara Kingsolver’s breathtaking Poisonwood Bible ; Tommy Orange’s stoic but resentful There there ; and Raj Patel and Jason W. Moore’s truly awesome, if furious, History of the World in Seven Cheap Things , among others.

By contrast, and in spite of its horrifying, disillusioning, maddening content — the tale of the Spain’s is no social justice fairy story — this book is not angry. If anything, perhaps in keeping with its Southern European subject matter, its resigned.

As a consequence, it’s hard to get behind Mr. Webster’s flaccid telling of Spanish history. Packing thousands of years (and at least six distinct civilisations) of narrative into just a whisker over 400 pages is no mean feat, and means that we whirlwind past every episode in the story almost before it’s begun. The reader needs, then, something to hang onto amid the cast of Philips, Isabellas and Alfonsos dashing madly on and off stage. Some central theme — a castigation of Spain’s feudal-capitalist elite, a perverse Niall Ferguson-esque celebration of the wonders of Spanish art thanks to empire, virtually anything holding this narrative together would be good.

I say virtually anything because Mr. Webster does in fact provide a central theme around which he clearly intends Spain’s history to cohere: the “three faces of Santiago” and the theme of Spain producing “great light amid great darkness”. It just doesn’t work. Where he brings these ideas in they’re (somehow) at once both ham-fisted and maddeningly unclear, drawing a bow so long as to be incoherent; where he doesn’t is most of the book, such that rather than becoming helpful explanatory concepts they remain unfamiliar and arcane even to the final page.

The story of the Spains is itself compelling and worth reading, which carries the book. It is, nevertheless, poorly served in Violencia. Like so many authors, Webster has taken on far too ambitious a project for his skills. He is an able writer, but not handy enough to deal adequately with the vast body of material an epoch-spanning history must marshal.

Or perhaps, after this dog of a year, I’m just hooked on angry books.

[Pep Bonet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting perspective of Spain's history. I can't compare, this probably being the first history of Spain that starts from the beginning, if we discard the highly ideological books we used at school under Franco.
On the one side, it looks like more centred on anecdotes and characters than the standard history book, which makes it more entertaining and less serious. But, on the other side, it comes with an interesting idea, that Spain, or to be more precise the peoples that have historically inhabited the Iberian Peninsula, is a constant infighting, it's civil war every century or so, it's Santiago the Slayer versus Santiago the Saint. Official history always considered the Moors invaders. How can some people be invaders after almost 800 years in a place? This book spends a good part of it on the lives and miracles of Muslims and Jews in mediaeval times.
The author seems more optimistic than it could be expected about the future. After exploring all the depressing history, especially that of the last 500 years, and showing the Spaniards' ability to destroy themselves, after declaring that the most likely future is repetition of the same bloody approach, he is an optimist. It takes a foreigner to believe in these peoples.

[Paul Berglund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of us just haven't heard much about Spain
and its history, which seems odd when considering
the influence it has had on the world stage over the
centuries. In Violencia, author Jason Webster
provides an expansive historical account, and
reveals, along with much else, that, for example,
Spain produced the first 'human rights advocate',
and that such aspects of Western Civilization as
rational thought, modern surgery, the American
cowboy, chivalry, romantic love, and modern
literature owe much to Spain. And from the
Visigoths through Franco and beyond, a
recounting of Spain's almost continual internal
political, military and cultural struggle is offered
in detail. The fascinating element of the
centuries-long rule of much of Spain by the
Moors is discussed, which is something else
we don't hear much about, generally speaking.
Violencia is a worthwhile read for those eager
to further their understanding of history in
general; and learning the numerous little-known
details of Spain's unique contributions over the
centuries would by itself be an excellent reason
to read this book.

[David Twine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extensive history of Spain, from early mankind arriving out of Africa to 2017. It is a good introductory text. The author's main premise, as seen in the title, is that Spain is a violent country. Change happens only with conflict, and peaceful periods in its history are but precursors to upheavel. I don't know why he sets himself up to pursue this theory because he then has to keep "proving" it. This gets a bit repetitive and tiresome. Similarly, with his view that Spain is a "Cassandra," a predictor of events - what happens in Spain follows elsewhere shortly after. The Spanish Civil War and World War II are often seen in this way. But he doesn't suggest anywhere why this may be the case. His political analysis is not his strong point, so it's a shame he insists on providing it. However, I learnt a lot, and alongside other reading about Spain, this book has been helpful in building my awareness.

[John Waterworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and insightful romp through the entire history of the Iberian peninsular (an integrated Spain is a recent idea according to Webster coming, ironically enough, from Catalonia). Lots of fascinating facts despite it's relative brevity. But what makes it interesting is the patterns or themes that the author uses and supports with these facts. For example, how Spain repeatedly leads the world, for example in exploration, or in opening up to advanced ideas from elsewhere, only to turn in on itself in destructive chaos - and to have to start again, again and again. Outside and outsiders as creative inspiration, alternating with self-defeating xenophobia against the Other, and collapse. Spain even leads the world in self-destruction, and what is experienced there today will spread around the world and be felt tomorrow or the day after. Webster also uses three images of St. James (Santiago) to stand for three different and inconsistent characteristics of "Spanishness": Santiago the recluse, the apostolic wanderer and the warrior defeating the Other. More fun than your average history book.

[Ajay · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best national history books I've ever read -- would highly recommend for anyone interested in history. Jason Webster perfectly encapsulates the breadth of Spanish history alongside it's themes and characters in a concise and rich epic. His theories on civil violence, factionalism, and the conflicting faces of Spain were illuminating and spot-on.

The only improvements that I could suggest are to expand the scope to better capture the profound impact, economic role, and shared history & identity of Spain's overseas colonies in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Philippines. Also would have appreciated a bit of greater context on some of the outside forces and foreign conflicts (e.g. Hapsburgs, Italian Wars, Ottomans, etc...) that have impacted Spain.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable as with all Jason Webster's books. A huge proposition to go from prehistory to the 21st century but it holds your interest. As an Arabic scholar his chapters on Al Andalus are very interesting. His engagement with Spanish life and culture are evident yet he is an outsider trying to take the long view. He's very taken up with the theme of duality, Santiago the moor slayer v. Santiago the pilgrim or las dos Españas as expressed in Machado's poem, at times this felt a bit overdone. I'd have liked a bibliography too.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. Readable history of Spain that was engaging throughout and unpretentious. I liked the fact that Webster brought attention to the achievements of Moorish Spain, which I knew nothing about. The main thing i took from this book was the sheer amount of civil conflicts that Spain has experienced, fragmented more often than united. Makes me wonder what will happen with the Catalan separatist movement - will it end up getting violent like ETA? Or continue to rumble away in the background?

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violencia briefly covers centuries of history of Spain and highlights the recurring themes - uniting the 'Spains', breaking up, violently. Yet from this have come some of the great ideas and discoveries. Jason Webster links these to the different faces of the patron saint, James - Santiago. The Pilgrim or The Moor Slayer? A very readable account book, but so much has to be skimmed over and a bibliography would have been helpful for anyone wanting to read about any era in more depth.

[Ignacio Sanvicens Zilles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great entrance into Spanish history, although it was indeed only this - an entrance. As with all historian titles, they come with interpretation of history. For me, some of Webster's opinions did not sit right with my idea of Spanish events. Nevertheless, it was an interesting read.

[Sophie Ishak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic synopsis on the history of Spain, delivered via a refreshing and engaging writing style.

[Alec Kemp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book which manages to draw constant themes throughout Spain’s history and points to very important questions about its future and how that interacts with the past

[Edd Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains some very interesting ideas on the history of Spain, though I felt at times the author was being overly dogmatic in trying to fit the events to his theories. The book really suffers from a lack of citation of sources, a bibliography would have been very useful as well. Still it's a very good introduction and has made me enthusiastic to learn/read more about this country.

[Jonathan Baum, SL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very superficial

The subject is much too vast to cover in such a short book. The author skates over everything!! Useful primer for curious tourist but little more.