Agustín Viñuales facts for kids

Agustín Viñuales Pardo (born August 7, 1881 – died November 14, 1959) was an important Spanish lawyer, economist, and politician. He briefly served as the Minister of Finance in Spain during 1933.

Early Life and Learning

Agustín Viñuales Pardo was born in Huesca, Spain, on August 7, 1881. His father was a well-known merchant and active in politics. Agustín's uncle, Urbez Viñuales, was also important in business and politics.

Agustín finished his high school education in Huesca. He then earned his law degree from the University of Madrid. He learned a lot from the economist Antonio Flores de Lemus. Agustín became an expert in how countries manage their money and resources, which is called Political Economy and Public Finance. After getting his advanced degree, he continued to study economics in France and Germany.

His Career and Public Service

Agustín Viñuales Pardo started his career by winning a competition for a job at the Madrid Chamber of Commerce. In 1918, he became a professor of Political Economy at the University of Granada.

During a time when Spain was led by a dictator (1923–1931), Agustín gave advice to the government about the "gold standard." This was a system where a country's money was directly linked to a certain amount of gold. He also traveled in America, meeting important people in international economics and politics.

Joining Politics

Agustín became a member of the Republican Action political party. After the Second Spanish Republic was formed in Spain, he helped create plans for land reform. This meant changing how land was owned and used to help farmers. However, these plans were not accepted by the government.

Agustín usually preferred to stay out of public attention. But he did agree to become the Director General of the Mint. This role meant he was in charge of making money for the country. In January 1933, he became a professor of Public Finance at the Central University of Madrid.

Minister of Finance

On June 12, 1933, Agustín Viñuales Pardo was asked to become the Minister of Finance. This is a very important job, as the minister manages the country's money and budget. He held this position for a few months, until September 1933. After leaving the ministry, he married Erika Graa.

In March 1936, he was chosen to represent the government at the Bank of Spain. He held this job until September 1936, when he left Spain and did not return for some time.

Later Life

During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), Agustín spent most of his time in France. After the war, the new government removed him from his professorship in 1939. This was because of his work during the Second Spanish Republic. In 1944, he faced penalties for his past role and for leaving the country.

He stayed in Biarritz, France, until 1948, when he came back to Spain. He then got his professorship back at the university. In 1957, he received a full pardon, meaning all past penalties were removed. He retired from the university in 1958.

Agustín Viñuales Pardo passed away in Madrid on November 14, 1959.

Sources

See also

In Spanish: Agustín Viñuales para niños