The Impact of Franco’s Dictatorship on Spain’s History
Franco took control of Spain from the moment he won the war until his death. This government was a forty-year dictatorship following a three-year war that devastated the country.
In the 1960s, the “economic miracle” brought welfare (a very good situation), but with the economic development, citizens began mobilizing to demand more freedom. The Franquist government’s response was to intensify repression.
Ultimately, Franquism entered a period of decline as Franco’s life was coming to an end.
Franquisim is the term used to describe the political regime established by General Franco from 1939 to 1975. From its inception to its conclusion, this regime was a dictatorship. Franco held all the power in his hands and imposed the limits he desired. No other authority in Spain has wielded such power.
However, Franquism never existed as a coherent ideology; the regime he created was based on various external references and was a synthesis of different ideologies.
Key Ideological Influences
Fascism: From the very beginning, Franco aligned himself with the fascist system, drawing inspiration from two models: Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy. From these, he adopted two key characteristics: the title of “Caudillo” and the unification of all people under a single party, “FET-JONS”: Falange Española Tradicionalista y Juntas de Ofensiva Nacionalista Sindicalista.
The attempt to establish a fascist regime failed due to Franco’s lack of charisma and the inability of the party he created to fulfill its societal role. Therefore, it is inaccurate to label Franquism as fascism, even though the regime adopted several fascist characteristics.
Anticommunism: Communism was used as an excuse to justify the military uprising.
Catholicism: Franquism and the Catholic Church collaborated from the outset to support and justify each other. The Church was controlled by Franco and took charge of the educational system.
Consolidation of Power
All troops that revolted united under a single leader. They appointed Franco as Head of the Government because he had led the uprising since 1936. In this way, Franco maintained control over the military, all political powers, and the ability to create and enforce laws.
Franco managed to impose his personal dictatorship due to several factors:
- Military Factors: Franco became a general at the age of 34. Additionally, during the Republic, he held military duties and commanded the troops in Africa, earning a reputation as a highly skilled military strategist.
- International Factors: Franco established negotiations with Italy and Germany, securing support from both to win the war.
- Internal Factors: Generals Mola and Sanjurio were well-known and charismatic, appearing as clear candidates to lead the uprising. Franco was a skilled military leader but lacked political preparation, which initially made him an unsuitable candidate. However, as the war progressed, both Mola and Sanjurio died, paving the way for Franco to become Head of the Government.
Democracy, liberalism, communism, and any similar ideologies were viewed as enemies.
After the Civil War, Franco assumed all powers, both political and military, in an absolute manner without limits. He maintained his dictatorship for about forty years, relying on support from authoritarian groups (Falange, Carlists, Catholics), the Church, the army, the bourgeoisie, and the middle classes.
Military, Church, Falange, and Carlists blamed democratic Spain for all the country’s problems. Consequently, Franquism abolished democracy and established only one party: FET-JONS. Phalangists, Carlists, and monarchists united in that party, aiming to indoctrinate all citizens.
Franco’s regime based its success on military victories, which is why he included military leaders in some of his governments. Nevertheless, he never resorted to the army to control the streets; he relied on the national police and Civil Guard. Spain became the European country with the highest police presence.
National-Catholicism
The State and the Church collaborated to develop what was known as national-Catholicism; this ideology fused Catholic faith with Spanish identity. Franco adopted a radical national-Catholic perspective to justify his uprising, framing their actions as a Holy Crusade and claiming that God had chosen Franco to rescue Spain. The theory of national-Catholicism posited that Spain and the Catholic religion were one.
Spanish Nationalism
Spanish nationalism: The contributions of the military and Falange led to a strong trend toward centralization. Franquism imbued the state with a phalangist essence, which would later define Spanish nationalism. Franco used this idea to combat Catalan and Basque nationalisms.
Economic and Social Policies
In terms of economy and society, he proposed national-syndicalism. This was anti-capitalist and anti-communist, yet Franquism was intertwined with capitalism. While private property was permitted, the State directed the economy. Regarding society, Franquism placed special emphasis on the ideological control of young people.
Franco remained in power for forty years, but it is essential to recognize that he relied on the support of various institutions and social groups.
The Catholic Church was the primary supporter of Franquism. From the very beginning, they justified the uprising by claiming it was a crusade to defeat the enemies of faith. In exchange, they received privileges that included not only economic support but also significant influence in education. As the state became confessional, religious institutions in education and religious schools became official, and religion was made a compulsory subject. Furthermore, religion was used as a means of moral control and strict censorship.