The Franco Regime: Transformation and Opposition in Spain
The Franco Regime: Two Eras
1939-1959: Post-War and Totalitarianism
This period saw attempts to establish a totalitarian state modeled on fascism, coupled with economic autarky.
1959-1975: Economic Development and Social Transformation
International and domestic circumstances led to a developmental stage and attempts to institutionalize the regime.
Consolidation of the Franco Dictatorship
A Totalitarian Regime
- Concentration of powers
- Rejection of the democratic system
- Single party rule
- Dictatorship
- Fundamental Laws
The Structure of the New State
- Franco as head of state, government, and the Party
- Power concentrated in appointed officials
- Subordination of the judiciary
- Civil and Military Governors
- Vertical Unions based on Italian fascist doctrine
Families of the Regime
- The Church: A power factor (National Catholicism)
- The Falange: Gradually lost power, submitting to Franco, controlling movements and unions
- The Military: A pillar of the regime, enjoying perks
Ideological Puritanism and Social Control
- Profound ideological and social control changes
- Emphasis on rural life
- Youth Front and Women’s Section
- National Spirit training classes
- Strong repression and censorship
- Church monopoly on education
- Abandonment and liquidation of public schools
The Regime and International Politics
The Second World War Phase
- Association with the Axis powers
- Initial neutrality, followed by non-belligerence (Blue Division), and return to neutrality in 1943
Isolation of the Regime
- Problems arising from association with the Nazi regime
- Don Juan de Borbón’s Lausanne Manifesto (1945) calling for monarchy restoration
- Non-admission to the UN and the Potsdam Conference
- Claims of a Judeo-Masonic-Marxist conspiracy
- UN recommendation for withdrawal of ambassadors (1946), leading to near-total isolation
- Start of the Cold War (1947) and the USA viewing Franco as an anti-communist ally
Autarquía, Misery, and Rationing
Franco’s triumph had a tremendous economic impact, leading to hunger, corruption, and misery.
The Axes of Autarky
- Primary objective: economic self-sufficiency
- Strong growth retardation (until the 1960s)
- Import and export control
- Promoting capital equipment industry (INI)
Rationing and the Black Market
- State control of prices led to a black market
- Ration cards until 1951
- Era of hunger
The Opposition: Exile, Repression, and Resistance
A period of tremendous political repression.
The Path of Exile
- Over 400,000 people exiled to France and the Americas (Mexico)
Repression and Resistance
- Strong repression, including the Law of Political Responsibilities
- Around 40,000 executed after military trials
- Establishment of the Court of Public Order (1963)
- Despite repression, guerrilla groups (maquis) emerged
- The PCE boosted anti-Franco opposition after the failure of the maquis
First Attempts at Opening (1951-1956)
Driven by the failure of autarky and the gradual end of isolation.
Exhaustion of Autarky
- Autarky impoverished the country and increased inequalities, leading to the first mobilizations
- Need for increased food imports, but faced with foreign exchange shortages and peseta devaluation
International Situation
- The Cold War (1947) changed the US attitude towards Spain, ending its isolation
- Concordat and military treaties with the USA (1953)
- Spain’s admission to the UN (1955)
Timid Political Change
- Ministerial changes in 1951 (still controlled by Falangists and Catholics)
- Inclusion of Opus Dei members (technocrats) in 1957, beginning economic liberalization without changing the dictatorial basis
The Franco Regime: Economic and Social Transformations
Economic Growth in the Sixties
- Spectacular economic growth from 1959 to 1974
- Stabilization measures and development plans
- 1959 Stabilization Plan: End of autarky and final push for industrialization
- Development plans focused on industry (growth poles), infrastructure, and commodities
- Final stage of Spanish industrialization
- Consolidation of industry and services, strong income growth
- Improved productivity, higher wages, and demand for consumer goods
- Population movements and migrations (internal and external) due to limited job creation despite technological improvements
Transformation of Agriculture
- Decline in agricultural population from 39% in 1960 to half that in 1975 due to rural exodus and the decreasing importance of food
- Mechanization due to declining workforce, increased income, and food diversification
External Dependence
- Imports of foreign technology and investment
- Absorption of surplus labor
- Tourist boom
Limitations of Industrialization
- Lower income levels compared to Europe
- Inflation and low job creation (offset by emigration)
- Limited technology investments
- Stiffness of the financial system
Modernization of Spanish Society
- Spain entered the consumer society in the sixties
- Social transformation
- Strong growth in birth rate and urban working-class neighborhoods
- New social structure with importance of the working class and new middle classes
- Rebirth of strong trade unionism
- Decrease in rural population
- Changes in behavior
- 1970 Education Act
- Transformations in family structure and women’s roles
- Consumerism: cars, televisions, appliances
- New mentality, even in the Church (Vatican II), with greater freedom of thought
- Weakening of the Franco regime politically and ideologically
Persistence of the Regime
Franco tried to modernize without democratizing, leading to internal strife.
Scope and Limits of Institutionalization
- Clashes between Falangists and technocrats (Opus Dei), with the latter gaining prominence (seeking an authoritarian monarchy)
- 1966 Press Act by Manuel Fraga
- 1967 Organic Law of the State: Institutionalization of the system
- Franco appointed Juan Carlos as his successor
Triumph of Inertia
- Matesa case (1969): Corruption
- Hardening of the regime amid increasing unrest and repression of protests
- Emergence of critics within the Church
- Strengthening of the immobile faction
Reinforcing Mass Opposition
Social Movements and Conflict
- Revival of labor unrest in the 1950s
- Birth of CCOO in the 1960s, using the regime’s structure to fight it
- University and neighborhood groups as sources of tension
- First street demonstrations in the sixties
Political Opposition Groups
- Re-emergence of political opposition in the sixties
- 1962 Munich Conspiracy
- Crucial role of the PCE’s national reconciliation policy
- Division within the PSOE until the Suresnes Congress (1973)
- Other groups with Trotskyist or Maoist tendencies (FRAP)
- Emergence of nationalist groups (PNV and CDC) at the end of Franco’s rule
- Birth of ETA in 1959
Crisis of the Regime (1973-1975)
The failure of reform and the international context led to the final crisis.
Crisis and Agony of the Dictatorship
- Assassination of Carrero Blanco in 1973, widening the division between immobility and openness
- Arias Navarro’s limited reforms (February 1974) failed to democratize, leading to stagnation
- The ‘bunker’ resorted to fascist violence
- Opposition efforts to unify: The Democratic Junta (PCE, 1974) and the Democratic Platform (PSOE, 1975)
Bound and Tied
_ either
1974-75 _ _ Franco Diseases.
_ Face of opposition activity repressive attitude _ _ _ New Terrorism Act 1975 _ Death sentences international protests against the Franco dictatorship.
Sahara Conflict _ _ Green March (danger of war with Morocco) _ Claudication and delivery of the Sahara.
Agony of Franco _ _ sense of uncertainty about the future.