Politics and Public Services in Spain: A Comprehensive Guide

Politics and Public Services in Spain

The Concept of Politics

The word “policy” comes from the Greek polis, which refers to the city of Athens. It aims to search for the common good of the members of a community. Therefore, its purpose is to seek the best for all, what benefits, builds, or promotes the common good.

The concept of common good first appears in the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. All law orders the good of all. The common good belongs to all members of a polis, so we all have a political task to perform.

Democracy

Athens was one of the world’s first democracies. The Greek word democracy means “rule by the people” and was used by the Athenians to define their system of government. Most of the procedures used by modern democracies are very old. Many cultures elected their leaders through popular referendum systems throughout history.

In democratic countries, rulers can only change laws with the support of representatives of the people or directly in popular consultations. For there to be democracy in a country, there must be at least the following conditions:

  1. Universal suffrage or the popular vote by which the people express their will. With their vote, citizens participate in public life by appointing their representatives.
  2. A statute or constitutional law to establish and limit the rights and powers of the individual and the state, and relations with each other.
  3. Division of power within the state. The classical division of powers is into the legislative that formulates laws, the executive (the president or prime minister and their cabinet, as well as the different branches of government) that enforces them, and the judiciary, which administers justice to punish the infringement of laws.
  4. The adoption and effective fundamental principles established in the Constitution and secondary laws, to ensure life, equality, and freedom for citizens: freedom of thought, religion, expression, petition, assembly, transit, etc.

Political Parties

Political parties are organizations that bring together people with an ideology and a common project to organize society. They help to inform citizens and facilitate the participation of all in the electoral process. They present their candidates and defend their political agendas.

Politics in Spain

In the Spanish political system:

  1. The Executive: Formed by the Head of State, represented by King Juan Carlos I since 1975, the Prime Minister and their cabinet or council. There is also a Council of Ministers, which is the supreme consultative organ of government.
  2. The Legislative Branch: This is the Cortes Generales, which is made up of the Senate or Upper House, with 259 senators, and the Congress of Deputies or Lower House, with 350 members.
  3. The Judiciary: The superior court is the Supreme Court, which is the interpreter of the Constitution. Other bodies are the National Court, the Superior Courts of Justice, Provincial Courts, and the Constitutional Tribunal.

Autonomous Communities

The autonomous communities answer to the historical trajectory of the peoples that make up Spain. Since 1975, the autonomy process guaranteed by the Constitution has been reactivated, which recognizes the ability of the autonomous communities to write their own laws and elect their representatives, and their local and autonomous government bodies.

Lobbies

: there are institutions and organizations who become lobbyists and who have great influence on decision-making policies into manifestations are a common measure of social pressure. unions : is an association of workers who defend the social, economic and professionals involved in his work, breaks, holidays, licenses, professional and continuing education capaticazión to be found in the collective agreement, which is the standard relations between regualar labor and management.Taxes: are financial contributions that citizens hold the State and institutions to organize social life, to help support public services and meet the needs of every member through taxes company.A company resources are distributed and bienens among all citizens. types of taxes: direct taxes which are calculated based on income percentages progressive posesiones.Se down on the level of income of each trabajador.el income tax (tax on personal income physical) is a direct personal tax on income earned in a calendar year by residents in Spain. Income can come from: an earned income. Two investment income. 3 real estate capital gains. 4 earned income. 5 economic gains and losses. The VAT (value added tax) is an indirect tax that affects those who buy or receive any goods or services. In Spain we also have other indirect taxes. The common-use goods: natural resources and common use goods are freely available to everyone and can not prohibit their use, but in recent years, abuses, attacks on the media environment and the uncontrolled exploitation of some resources that the State has to worry about the conservation of some of ellos.Dentro of this concept is the espaceo air, the sea floor, etc.Otros goods that are in common use but should be limited are emergency departments of hospitals, because if a person uses evil can prevent a person no longer needs access to them. Public services are those that the state provides to citizens to make your life easier and establish compliance fundamental rights of mismos.Los can be found in different areas: 1) Public security in are represented by local police, national police, the guard civil.etc. 2) make the Justice lawyers, prosecutors and judges in court. 3) involve housing or social housing buildings Oficial protection, serviceos gas, water, electricity and sewerage. 4) in education has been much development ecuelas building, colleges and universities, and training of teachers. 5) in social services represent the economic performances, grants and scholarships and pensions. 6) in the research help the Scientific development and telecommunications. 7) in the health care account for free, construction and maintenance of hospitals and recruitment of physicians.

pressure groups: there are institutions and organizations who become lobbyists and who have great influence on decision-making policies into manifestations are a common measure of social pressure. unions: is an association of employees that represent the interests social, economic and professionals involved in his work, breaks, holidays, licenses, professional and continuing education capaticazión to be found in the collective agreement, which is the standard regualar relations between labor and management. Taxes: These are contributions economic citizens make to state and institutions to organize social life, to help support public services and meet the needs of all member company.A company through taxes and resources are distributed among all the bienens citizens. types of taxes: direct taxes which are calculated based on income percentages progressive posesiones.Se down on the level of income of each trabajador.el income tax (tax on income of natural persons) is a tax personal and direct on income earned in a calendar year by residents in Spain.Income can come from: an earned income. Two investment income. 3 real estate capital gains. 4 earned income. 5 economic gains and losses. The VAT (value added tax) is an indirect tax that affects those who buy or receive any goods or services. In Spain we also have other indirect taxes. The common-use goods: natural resources and common use goods are freely available to everyone and can not prohibit their use, but in recent years, abuses, attacks on the media environment and the uncontrolled exploitation of some resources that the State has to worry about the conservation of some of ellos.Dentro of this concept is the espaceo air, the sea floor, etc.Otros goods that are in common use but should be limited are emergency departments of hospitals, because if a person uses evil can prevent a person no longer needs access to them. Public services are those that the state provides to citizens to make your life easier and establish compliance fundamental rights of mismos.Los can be found in different areas: 1) Public security in are represented by local police, national police, the guard civil.etc. 2) make the Justice lawyers, prosecutors and judges in court. 3) involve housing or social housing buildings Oficial protection, serviceos gas, water, electricity and sewerage. 4) in education has been much development ecuelas building, colleges and universities, and training of teachers. 5) in social services represent the economic performances, grants and scholarships and pensions. 6) in the research help the Scientific development and telecommunications. 7) in the health care account for free, construction and maintenance of hospitals and recruitment of physicians.