Increasing Inequality and Impoverishment of Workers as a Consequence of the Reformation of the Labour Market in Spain

[Resumo] Os problemas de competitividade con que se atopou a economía española como consecuencia da crise comezada en 2008 –tamén coñecida como Gran Recesión– tiveron características específicas, debido, entre outras razóns, á pertenza de España a unha área monetaria como é a unión Económica e Monetaria (uEM) da uE ou Zona Euro. En situacións de perda de competitividade é frecuente que os países recorran a unha depreciación da moeda para se posicionaren fronte ao exterior; porén, se o país se atopa inmerso nunha área monetaria, tal depreciación non é posible por carecer deste instrumento de política monetaria, e debe buscar outras opcións, as cales pasan por unha depreciación interna. Neste traballo acométese unha breve análise teórica desta situación e dos factores que inflúen na competitividade internacional, así como das medidas adoptadas por España para facer fronte a unha situación insustentable de diminución da competitividade nacional. Compleméntase cunha análise empírica da situación antes da crise e da evolución das principais magnitudes macroeconómicas relacionadas coa competitividade, as cales reflicten a situación a que se chegou despois de se adoptaren medidas de política económica, principalmente a reforma laboral e a consolidación fiscal. os resultados amosan un aumento das desigualdades e un empobrecemento das clases traballadoras, malia que España conseguiu recuperar a competitividade no ámbito internacional.[Abstract] Lack of competitiveness faced by Spanish economy, as a result of the economic crises, which began in 2008, show specific features caused mainly by the belonging of Spain to an economic monetary area, that is the Euro-Zone. In the context of loss of competitiveness, countries involved in that issue usually to conduct a depreciation policy for the domestic currency, then, it produces an internal lower prices, and as a consequence, a best competitive position at the international scheme. But when the country is within a currency area, as is the Spanish case, it is not possible to carry out depreciation because the country has no such monetary policy tool, and, therefore, other options should be explored. All possible choices are related to internal devaluation. In this paper, a brief theoretical analysis of this situation is undertaken, besides the analysis of those factors influencing international competitiveness. In addition, the measures undertaken by Spain to face an unsustainable falling in national competitiveness have been studied. This study has been complemented by an empirical analysis of the situation prior to the crisis and the evolution of the main macroeconomic variables related to competitiveness, which reflect the situation produced following the adoption of such economic policies, particularly the labour reform and fiscal consolidation. The results show an increase in inequality and impoverishment of the working classes, but on the other hand, the recovery of the competitiveness of the Spanish economy on the international stage was achieved