It was composed of
manufacturers of espadrilles (among them Manuel Gomez Valdivia) and footwear in
general, who had interests in agriculture and they started to create financial
institutions such as savings banks, employers and the Industry Center
Alpargatero.
During the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera joined the middle class and medium
class (doctors, officials, lawyers, etc.) among which Dídac Fernández Ripoll,
several times mayor and banker Raimon Torres Peral. At this time there was a
momentum boost regeneration improvements to the city, including the sewer,
school construction and slaughterhouses. The workers begin to organize and
consequently created the first units of mutual aid, trade unions and political
parties.
It was in 1903
when the first strike in Elche.
The Second Spanish Republic
was a period convulsed with strikes, lockouts, confiscation by the major trade
union confederations, UGT and CNT then, of 231 farms with an area of 3356 ha
for exploitation collectivist.
The majority of the city of Elche
opted for socialism to govern the City during the Second Republic.
Social tension between ideological poles out with the burning of the Basilica
of Santa Maria before the war. Likewise there were many arbitrary killings of
farmers in the valley right significance of the throat in Crevillente. When the
civil war, Elche was faithful to the Republic
and actively collaborated with the Popular Army to mobilize thousands of Elche in different
battalions.
Nineteenth
century
The brief reign of Amadeo I meant, in a short visit to the village then the
March 16, 1871, granting the title of City, which adopted a decree on May 25 of
that year. In 1875 when the first sewing machine and began to import fabric Mataro (Barcelona)
gradually replaced by the local production, through use of the mechanical loom
for tarps and braiding machine.
After causing a
new occupation which essentially rested on home work, both in cities and the
countryside. So, just before the Great War there were about a hundred factories
sandals, jute braid, which absorbed about 80 percent of the working population.
The industrialization process gave way to the emergence of a new oligarchy.
In turn, the
right wing in the rear suffered great persecution and repression, especially in
the area of Elche.
La Torre del Gallo (located in the parish of la Hoya) was quartering of the
Republicans, who conducted numerous armed requisition, arbitrary arrests and
executions.
The civil war of 1936-1939 brought hunger and
misery, as well as strong reprisals from the victorious side Elche to be a predominantly Republican town.
The economic situation began to recover from the 50th through the industry,
between 1965-1975 and was consolidated with an important demographic recovery driven
by internal migration, mainly from Andalusia,
Murcia and
Castilla-La Mancha.
The footwear sector
was the symbol of identity Elche
for much of the twentieth century. In the late 90s was plunged into an
unprecedented crisis due to competition from exports from China and other
countries with lower production costs. You could say that globalization has
brought an extensive restructuring of the footwear sector in Elche. Other industries with a lower presence
in the city are those of the metal, chemicals, candy, clothing and construction.
