Cold War Geopolitics and the Francoist Era in Spain
WESTERN BLOC (USA): -Capitalism -Economic alliance: OEEC (1948) -Military alliance: NATO (1949)
EASTERN BLOC (USSR) -Communism -Economic alliance: COMECON (1948) -Military alliance: Warsaw Pact (1955)
WESTERN BLOC: USA:
Two-party system: -republicans -democrats Anti-communism:–
Truman Doctrine → Policy introduced by President Harry Truman in 1947 to stop the spread of communism by promising military and economic support to countries threatened by communism, especially Eastern European countries.-
McCarthyism → Persecution of people suspected of being communist sympathisers, in many cases, without proper evidence.
W.B:
Democratic systems (Monarchies or republics) -Political pluralism -Rights and freedoms. EC.&SOC.: -Capitalist system based on economic liberalism, with the law of supply and demand regulating the free market -High levels of consumerism (mass production and advertising) -Existence of the welfare state (mainly in Western Europe), funded through taxes and social security contributions -Social mobility ↔ Social inequality and unrest among the working-class.
MARSHALL PLAN:
A plan proposed by the American president Harry S. Truman in 1947 to help European countries recover economically but on the condition that communists were excluded from governments.
EAST BLOC:
politics:
USSR
Stalinism → Totalitarian communist regime –
1953.Stalin’s death → Process of De-Stalinisation led by Nikita Khrushchev: -Closure of gulags -Denunciation of Stalin’s legacy: repression, arbitrariness, and cult of personality -One-party state (CPSU) → NO Pluralism or opposition E.B: –
Non-democratic communist regimes under strong Soviet influence -Uprisings against the regimes: -Hungarian Revolution (1956)-Prague Spring (1968) -Communist countries not aligned with the USSR: -Tito’s Yugoslavia-Zedong’s China EC&SOC.: -Communist economy based on state control and central planning, with collective ownership of resources 210-211 -Development of heavy industry (especially military and steel-iron) -Collectivisation of the agriculture (kolkhozes and sovkhozes) -Guaranteed basic services (education, health, transport, etc.) for citizens -Differences between the ruling elite and the rest of the population -No consumerism
PROXY WAR
A conflict where two major powers support opposing sides but do not fight each other directly. Instead, they provide military, economic, or political assistance to their allies.
“Third World” → Term coined by economist Alfred Sauvy in 1952 Characteristics of Third World countries: – Countries in Africa, Asia or Latin America that had recently gained independence- Dependent economies based on the export of raw materials or agricultural products- Limited industrial development- High levels of poverty, inequality and illiteracy- Interest in staying neutral during the Cold War.
NEOCOLONIALISM -Technological dependence -Commercial dependence -Financial dependence (PUPPET STATES)
THE BANDUNG CONFERENCE (1955)
Condemnation of colonialism and racism Right to self-determination Peaceful coexistence Impartiality in response to the great powers
THE BELGRADE CONFERENCE (1961):
ounding of the Non-Aligned Movement
Third way for countries that did not wish to align with either of the superpowers Non-alignment with military alliances (NATO, Warsaw Pact) Promotion of economic and political cooperation among developing countries
Franco:
characteristics: -Concentration of power in Franco’s hands -Suppression of the democratic Cortes and abolition of elections → Creation of a consultative parliament (not democratically elected) -Ban on political parties and trade unions → Only one state-controlled party and trade union. -Unitary and centralised state → NO Statues of Autonomy and regional identities -Repressive laws to prosecute and silence the opposition.
SUPPORTERS:
Army: Guarantee of the regime’s continuity Important political and business positions held by its commanders. Falange: Maintenance of social control Government positions held by its members. Catholic Church: Confessional state State funding for the Church Religious education Abolition of divorce. Bourgueoisie: Great economic power Elimination of all Republican land and labour reforms.
POLITICAL EVOLUTION:
1936-1945 fascist ally: -1940. Meeting of Hendaye -1941-1943. División Azul 1945-1953 international isolation: 1946. Condemnation of Franco’s regime by the UN and withdrawal of ambassadors from Madrid 1947-1949. Exclusion of Spain from the Marshall Plan and the NATO 1953 onwards New international relations: 1953. Pacts of Madrid: -Economic and technological aid- Military bases 1953. Concordat with the Holy See → Privileges for the Catholic Church 1955. Admission of Spain into the United Nations.
POST WAR:
Destruction of infrastructure and transport systems Drop of working population (deaths and exile) Shortage of essential products Poverty etc. -> AUTARKY ->1.Little access to raw materials and energy sources 2.Low levels of production 3.Weak foreign trade 4.Lack of foreign investment.
SOCIAL INDOCTRINATION:
Return to a traditional and conservative society Exhaustive control over private and public activities Use of propaganda in official publications and media Censorship Imposition of traditional catholic morality: -Civil marriage and divorce-Abortion-Cohabitation-Homosexuality Patriarchal model: -Physically and intellectually superiority of the men-Submissive housewife
1957. Introduction of Opus Dei technocrats in Franco’s government>>POLITICAL MEASURES: Falange → Movimiento Nacional (a more neutral and functional name) 1969. Nomination of Prince Juan Carlos as Franco’s successor. >>ECONOMIC MEASURES:Plan de Estabilización (1959): – Autarky → Capitalism- Attraction of international investment- Growing importance of the private sector Planes de Desarrollo Económico y Social (1964-1975): – Promotion of public works (reservoirs, roads, railways, etc.)- Founding of public companies linked to the Instituto Nacional de Industria (INI)- Polos de desarrollo → Areas that received public and private investment to promote industrialisation, decentralise the economy and reduce territorial imbalances. PSOE (opponent) munich meeting1962.
CRISIS:
1.IMPACT OF THE OIL CRISIS OF 1973: Rapid increase in the price of oil and raw materials Inflation of over 25% per year Closure of companies Unemployment. 2.POLITICAL CRISIS: 1973. Assassination of Prime Minister Luis Carrero Blanco in a terrorist attack by ETA Appointment of Carlos Arias Navarro as Prime Minister Increase in repressive policies: -Declaration of a permanent state of emergency-Application of several death sentences. 3.THE SAHARA CONFLICT: 1973. Creation of the Frente Polisario → Sahara independence movement 1975. Green March → Peaceful occupation of the territory (350,000 civilians) organised by King Hassan II Madrid Accords → Division of Western Sahara