Liberal state and local power in Spain. The role of incompatibilities among public jobs in the modern local council secretary's configuration: Standards and practices

Abstract

Whitin the context of the problem of the relationships between the liberal State and the local power, and focusing our attention on Spain, the autor tackles the role of the central authorities in the gestation of a key administrative figure, the modern town clerk, by means of the establishment of incompatibilities between “public employment”, particularly among those of town councillor, notary public and school teacher on the hand, and that of town clerk on the other. The author also compares rules and practices in some specific towns, mainly Catalan; and he makes a comparative analysis, specially between Spain and Italy. It is maintained that, by facing many problems and negotiating whith the territory, the State played a relevant role in the processes of “professionalization” and “bureaucratization” of its employees.