Spain’s Economic Transformation Under Franco: 1939-1975
Growth of Autarky
1. Introduction
The civil war had important demographic effects on the economy, since it caused a decline in the labor force. Repression and exile affected sectors of skilled workers. Moreover, the economy was disjointed. Industrial and agricultural production was lower than in 1935 and the transport network was very poor. However, this is not sufficient to explain the negative trends in the years after 1939 and the slow recovery in activity levels before the conflict. During the
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The First Civilizations: Mesopotamia and Egypt
Mesopotamia, Land Between Two Rivers
Mesopotamia was one of the earliest civilizations that arose in the plains between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Its inhabitants created new offices and city-states.
The First City-States
To the south of Mesopotamia, in the territory of Sumer, the first cities arose (Ur, Uruk), with a population of between 10,000 and 50,000. The workshops of artisans gathered around the temple, or ziggurat, dedicated to the god who
Read MoreFranco’s Regime: Repression, Laws, and International Relations
**Legal Basis**
During this stage, the legal basis of the new scheme was established:
- In 1938, the **Fuero del Trabajo** was approved, introducing the right of Spaniards to work.
- In 1942, the **Constitutive Act of the Cortes** was proclaimed, which formed a legislative chamber, although it never truly had such a capacity.
- One year later, the **Fuero de los Españoles** was adopted. This excluded individual rights such as freedom of expression or assembly, although in practice, it was impossible to enforce.
The Cortes of Cádiz and the 1812 Constitution: A Turning Point in Spanish History
The Cortes of Cádiz and the Constitution of 1812
In 1808, Spain was invaded by France, resulting in the War of Independence, which lasted until 1813, when the Treaty of Valençay was signed. In this context, Napoleon Bonaparte’s Bayonne abdication of the Spanish monarchy, and an imperial decree, appointed his brother Joseph I as King of Spain and the Indies, a decision that would not be accepted by the Spanish people.
The Cortes of Cádiz
Provincial Boards emerged to govern the resistance against
Read MoreGothic Art and Architecture: 12th-15th Centuries
Gothic Art
Historical Context
Gothic art began in the mid-twelfth century on the Île-de-France and was the dominant style in Europe between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. These centuries coincided with a spectacular development of trade, both local and long-distance, which led to the growth and prosperity of cities. This process had begun in the eleventh century but reached its heyday in the thirteenth century. It was no accident that the most representative building of the Gothic era was
Read MoreThe Great Depression: Causes, Consequences, and Global Impact
Economic Imbalances of the 1920s
In 1920, a crisis began that brought down prices and expectations. Anglo-Saxon countries, including those who had remained neutral in the war, like Japan, proposed to regain a sound economy based on a stable currency, but only partially succeeded. In Germany, a completely chaotic monetary system emerged, causing the currency to lose value and wiping out private savings. Companies had to resort to foreign borrowing to survive, a fact that placed Germany in a position
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