Franco’s Spain: Ideological Roots and International Relations
Ideological Foundations and Social Supports
The Spain of 1939 was a devastated nation. The new state was marked by the persecution of any opposition. The Franco regime came to recognition by Western countries, especially the U.S., in the context of the post-World War II Cold War. Cultural and ideological movements triggered opposition against the dictatorship.
Franco’s government was personalist, manifested in images, symbols, and acts of exaltation of the Caudillo, inspired by fascism. He did not
Read MoreSpain’s Diplomatic, Economic, and Political Evolution Under Franco
Difficulties in Diplomatic Ties
In 1945, Spain was not accepted for UN membership. France closed its border in 1946, and major democratic powers considered the removal of Franco, the abolition of the Falange, and a peaceful transition to a liberal regime. Ambassadors were withdrawn from Madrid.
Minimum support came from Salazar (Portugal) and Perón (Argentina).
The situation changed with the outbreak of the Cold War. Democratic countries concluded that Franco posed less of a threat compared to Russia
Read MoreAlfonso XIII’s 1931 Departure: A King’s Perspective on Spain’s Transition
Alfonso XIII’s Departure: A King’s Perspective
This is a text of political content, since it is the waiver of King Alfonso XIII. The document is public and the recipient is the Spanish people. It was written on 14 April 1931, after the victory of the Republican coalition in local elections and the unexpected proclamation of the republic in Eibar, Madrid, and soon in other Spanish cities. The government and the King himself were surprised by the events in the course of the day, and took quick and
Read MoreKey Movements and Figures in 20th Century History
SNCC – Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a key organization in the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It was started by young leaders of the sit-in protests, initiated on February 1st by four Black students in North Carolina. SNCC grew into a large organization with many supporters in the North who helped raise funds to support its work in the South, allowing full-time workers to receive a $10 per week salary.
Mao Zedong – A Chinese Communist revolutionary and the founding father
Read MoreThe 18th Century: From Absolute Monarchy to American Revolution
Key Concepts of the 18th Century
Absolute Monarchy
A system where the monarch holds supreme autocratic authority, not restricted by written laws, legislature, or customs. The economy and the people have no voice.
Nobility
The land-based economy was dominated by the nobility.
War of Succession (1701-1714)
The struggle for the throne between the Bourbons and the Habsburgs in Spain. It was initiated by the Bourbons with Philip V.
Parliamentary Monarchy
A system where the monarch’s power is limited and conditioned
Read MoreUS New Deal & Fascism: Economic Policies & Social Impact
The New Deal
In the United States, Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt became president in 1933, at the height of the Great Depression. Roosevelt launched a program of state economic intervention known as the New Deal. Between 1933 and 1938, a series of measures were adopted to combat deflation, relaunch the economy, and create jobs.
- A program was launched to clean up the banking system so that banks would offer better guarantees, security deposits, and loans. The restoration of the credit system was enhanced,