The main obstacles to scientific and technical progress in Spain (I)

Firstly, it is necessary to insist on the fact that, talking about scientific and technical progress is to do about economic and social progress. This is like this since homo sapiens appeared on Earth. But it is absolutely obvious since the late Middle Age, when science started to take off and to apply the knowledge of it to know human needs. The Industrial Revolution took its first steps in the eighteenth century after achieving the use and control of natural sources of energy. Then, the scientific and technological progress has continued unabated. Without it, our lives would be much poorer and the welfare state would be an entelechy.

When so many politicians and all kinds of demagogues filled their mouth promising to improve living conditions of citizens, probably they are not thinking that the basis of their claims, if they really want social progress, is linked to scientific and technical progress.

Unfortunately, we have heard some poor references about this only during the last Spanish electoral processes. It must be that it is a subject without influences on the electorate. This is the first and greatest obstacle that society has to lead in order to start to consider essential that the social welfare is closely linked to advances in science and technology. Opinion makers and those who cause these several opinions have a beautiful but difficult task.

The last major financial crisis, which began in 2008, led to the reduction in research and innovation resources. It is true that they were not the only nor, in the short term, the most painful, but with this reduction is impossible to improve in the short and medium term.

It is necessary that those who govern us and who aspire to do, understand the importance of research and innovation, and try to efficiently undertake the necessary and constant actions to be a social value accepted, avoiding the reduction of these resources.. It is necessary to get a suitable atmosphere for the efficient use of public and private resources, in order to be a richer and more solidary society.