From Franco to Freedom: The Roots of the Transition to Democracy in Spain, 19621982

This book examines the late Franco dictatorship in Spain, focusing on its political culture, including elections, sociologists, media, and intellectuals. It explores the mechanisms used to control society and compares it to Portugal's transition. The majority of Spaniards believed that democratic freedoms and integration into the European Community were the only way forward during the Transition.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 01 November 2018
Publisher: Sussex Academic Press

This comprehensive book brings together cutting-edge research from a team of esteemed historians and sociologists, offering a fresh perspective on the late Franco dictatorship. The authors delve into various aspects of this regime, including the election of local, trade union, and national representatives, the pioneering work of Spanish sociologists, the contentious debates over administrative reform, the influence of the media and intellectuals, and the evolution of the political class within the dictatorship. Furthermore, the book explores the mechanisms employed to govern the rapidly changing society of the 1960s and 1970s. While the contributors do not view the late Franco period as harboring the seeds of Spain's eventual democratization, they acknowledge that certain sectorial regime initiatives, such as electoral and political changes, an evolving discourse, and an interest in political processes beyond Spain's borders, raised awareness among many Spaniards about the contradictions and limitations of the dictatorship. This heightened awareness played a crucial role in fostering the subsequent political and social evolution of the country. The book compares the transition from dictatorship to democracy in Spain with the later stages of the parallel dictatorship in Portugal, highlighting the similarities and differences in their respective trajectories. The majority of Spaniards during the Transition believed that embracing democratic freedoms and integrating into the European Community was the only way forward. However, the shift from dictatorship to democracy in Spain from the 1960s onwards must be understood in the context of the multitude of political and social changes that occurred, despite the opposition of Franco and the bunker mentality of the regime. These changes manifested in a complex interplay between internal and external factors, ultimately leading to the transformation of Spanish society.

Weight: 500g
Dimension: 159 x 235 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781845198503