ABSTRACT
A state may exercise a policy in order to direct consumer behavior towards the acquisition of certain types of goods. This occurred in the various authoritarian states of Europe with a special emphasis in the Catholic territories, such as Spain, during the eighteenth century. Historians and economists should bear in mind the covert collaboration between enterprises and merchants, whether domestic or foreign, in order to create new demands, to renovate fashions and create new needs among consumers. The desire of the government to control consumption and the creation of stereotypes in eighteenth-century Spain had a common purpose: the glorification and preservation of the nation's values, tradition and history. This was the initial step towards instilling a nationalistic feeling in individuals. The state was working towards this goal through a concrete program that had a multifaceted role, as politicians were the main agents used to develop a sense of nation in the psychology of individuals.
