Racism in Spain

During the Spanish inquisition, Jews, Arabs, and Berbers were targeted the most. This policy was called Limpieza de sangre (Blood Cleansing). Even if a Jew, Arab, or Berber converted to Christianity, Spanish authorities during that time referred to them as New Christians, which were the target of institutional discrimination and suspicion by the Spanish Inquisition.[1] New Christians of Muslim heritage were referred to as moriscos, meaning Moor-like.[2] Those of Jewish heritage were termed Conversos and those who secretly continued to practice Judaism were referred to as marranos (either from Spanish marrar to err/deviate or from marrano meaning "swine".).[3] After the Reconquista, many Mudéjars (individual Arabs and Berbers, who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity remained in Spain as practicing Muslims and Sephardic Jews were required to convert to Catholicism or leave the country in 1492. Attitudes towards Moriscos varied in different regions, although they were never the main target of the Inquisition. A few decades after the War of the Alpujarras, during which the Muslim-majority population of Granada rebelled, the King of Spain ordered the Expulsion of the Moriscos from Spain, which was implemented successfully in the eastern region of Valencia and less so in the rest of Spain.

Spain has tried to correct the ethnic cleansing against Jews and Muslims (Arabs and Berbers) calling it "historical error", inviting Jews back and recently granting all Sephardic Jews who apply for it Spanish nationality.[4]

During the decades of economic boom in the late 20th century, after joining the European Union, Spain had experienced a large influx of immigrant workers to Spanish big cities from Latin America, Africa, and Asia, with the result of many employers preferring to hire foreign workers for a cheaper wage.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Susan Schroeder, Stafford Poole (2007). Religion in New Spain. University of New Mexico Press. p. 198. ISBN 978-0-8263-3978-2.
  2. ↑ Michael C. Thomsett (2010). The Inquisition: A History. McFarland. p. 152. ISBN 978-0-7864-4409-0.
  3. ↑ Michael Brenner, Jeremiah Riemer (2010). A Short History of the Jews. Princeton University Press. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-691-14351-4.
  4. ↑ Spain is inviting back Jews expelled from the country in the 16th century. But don't mention the Muslims (Arabs and Berbers),\ Robert Fisk, The Independent, http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/spain-is-inviting-back-jews-expelled-from-the-country-in-the-16th-century-but-dont-mention-the-muslims-9322518.html
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