Franco’s Spain: Single-Party Rule & Repression
The Creation of the Single Party: The Government of Burgos
From October 1936, unlike the Republican side, there was a single, uncontested military command, but no political cohesion. The rebels had prohibited all political parties that were part of the Popular Front in the territory they controlled, as well as all class unions. Only the Spanish Falange JONS, whose founding chief, Primo de Rivera, had been shot by the Republicans, and the Traditionalist Communion acted as political groups. CEDA and monarchist groups were tolerated.
Drawing inspiration from the Italian and German fascist state models, in April 1937, Franco issued the Unification Decree. This decree created a unique, traditional Spanish Falange de las JONS, which would integrate all the other “national” forces. Franco became the National Chief of this party. The process of institutionalization of the new state culminated with Franco in January 1938 with the formation of the first Franco government. Franco came to be called *Caudillo* (Leader) of Spain.
The new state was based on fascism and defended a social model based on conservatism and the rule of Catholicism. Religious freedom, political freedom, freedom of the press, and freedom of association were suppressed, as were the statutes of autonomy. The death penalty was reestablished. In March 1938, the Labour Law was adopted, establishing a single union representing employers and workers, and banning strikes and worker demands.
The new state respected the significant influence of the Catholic Church. It was clearly sectarian, repealing the laws of civil marriage and divorce, establishing religion in education and in the army, and instituting state pay for the clergy.
Francisco Franco, Generalissimo
The death of General Sanjurjo and the fact that the insurrection did not triumph, leading to war, raised the issue of leadership in the military and government of the “national” territory. The National Defense Council, composed of military personnel, was created. The mission of the Board was to govern the occupied territory. Its first actions were to ban the activity of all political parties, suspend the Constitution, and order the stoppage of the agrarian reform. To gain more supporters, General Francisco Franco was chosen as the military chief.
On October 1, 1936, the decree was issued appointing him Head of State and Government and Generalissimo of the Spanish armies. The National Defense Council disappeared and a Technical Board of the State was established.
Institutionalized Repression of the Francoist State
The building of the Francoist State was accompanied by extreme violence, which involved the annihilation of the vanquished in the occupied territories (towns and cities in the “national” territory). Franco’s government executed politicians on the Republican side who fell into his hands, as well as those opposed to the military uprising. Repression was systematic, planned, and carried out by the army, the Falange, or political authorities against anyone suspected of sympathizing with the left. Their intention was to impose a climate of “terror” that would prevent any opposition.
