The Pioneer of Geopolitics in Spain: The Work of Dr. Vicens Vives

Abstract

During the 19th century, important European studies in Political Geography and Military Geog-raphy were developed to facilitate the understanding and action of states within and beyond their borders. However, the 20th century saw the emergence of a new discipline: Geopolitics. Although its roots lie in the Anglo-Saxon and Germanic spheres, its strict founder was the Swedish schol-ar Rudolf Kjellén in 1916. From then on it gained unstoppable popularity and reached Spain in 1940 through the work of Dr. Jaime Vicens Vives, which influenced the Spanish-speaking military sphere for decades. The work of the Spanish author provides us with a definition and differentia-tion of Geopolitics, as well as its history and initial debates, together with the authors who influ-enced its foundation. It also focuses on fundamental elements such as the State and the living space, the importance of graphics in Geopolitics and a whole range of geopolitical actions. Thus seen, the knowledge formed by Vicens Vives is not only of historical value but also of current importance, as it contains the fundamental bases that continue to govern the Geopolitics of the 21st century.