5. Francoist Spain

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Throughout his dictatorship, Franco maintained the same ideological principles that formed the basis of Francoism.

• Anti-liberalism and anti-communism: Franco rejected both democracy and communism. All the democratic elements of the Second Republic were revoked, including the Constitution of 1931, political pluralism and citizens' rights and freedoms. In addition, communists were considered to be enemies of the state, and workers were not allowed to protest, strike or join trade unions.
• Nationalism, centralism and Catholicism: Franco believed Spain should be unified, centralised and Catholic rather than culturally and religiously diverse.
  Religious freedom was limited, the use of Catalan, Basque and Galician language was prohibited, and the Catalan and Basque Statutes of Autonomy were revoked.

From the beginning, the Franco regime implemented a policy of political repression through the 1939 Law of Political Responsibilities. This was directed against those who had supported the Republicans during the civil war. Punishments included the confiscation of property, disqualification from holding public office, forced labour, prison sentences of up to 30 years and the death penalty.

In general, Spain's population adopted a passive attitude towards the regime, even though many people rejected Francoist ideology. This was because people feared the police surveillance and repression that was used against the regime's opponents.

Talking book

5.1. The political development of the Franco regime

Talking book

Domestic policy

Franco established a dictatorship. All political and military power was concentrated in his hands (he was head of state, head of the government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces). The Falange was the only political party that was permitted.

During the first decades of the dictatorship (1939–1959), Franco established an authoritarian regime by introducing the Fundamental Laws of the Realm: this was a set of laws dictated by Franco which regulated political life (such as the Organic Law of the State), as well as economic and labour relations (such as the Labour Charter). These laws replaced the Republican constitution.

In the later decades of the regime (1959–1975), it became more technocratic: politicians with technical training became more prominent. The regime's objective in this period was to modernise the country. Therefore Franco appointed specialists from various fields as ministers, including economics, health and education. He also designated Juan Carlos de Borbón as his successor.

Foreign policy

Two phases also characterised the regime's foreign policy.

• International isolation (1946–1951): the victorious Allied powers, including the United States and Great Britain, blocked Spain from participation in the UN because it was a dictatorship. Spain was also excluded from the Marshall Plan for the same reason. The UN imposed an economic and diplomatic embargo on Spain as well.
• International integration (1951–1962): the Western-Bloc countries became more favourable towards the regime. This was because of the Cold War: they appreciated Franco's anti-communism and also recognised Spain's strategic geographical position.

These circumstances led to the signing of various agreements. In 1953 the concordat with the Vatican was signed, in which the regime granted the Catholic Church a range of privileges (such as economic support and considerable control over education) in return for church support for the regime and the right to nominate candidates to become bishops. In the same year the regime signed a military agreement with the United States. In return for the right to establish American military bases in Spain, the United States offered the regime substantial economic assistance. Shortly after these agreements, Spain was able to join the UN and other international bodies.

5.2. The economy under Franco

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Economic self-sufficiency (1939–1959)

During the 1940s and 1950s Spain's economy was self-sufficient. Due to food shortages, the state intervened in the economy, introducing the rationing of basic goods and fixing prices. Other interventionist measures included:

• the foundation of the INI (National Institute of Industry), whose objective was to promote industrial development through the creation of state companies, such as Seat, Endesa and Ensidesa.
• the control of state monopolies, such as Telefónica, Tabacalera, Campsa and Iberia, and the creation of new monopolies, such as Renfe, with the aim of directing the important sectors of the economy.

Self-sufficiency caused the Spanish economy to stagnate. This was because it was difficult to import the machinery and petroleum necessary for industrial development.

Economic development (1959–1975)

Economic development began in Spain when the regime became more technocratic. The technocrats developed a set of measures to end self-sufficiency, promote the development of a market economy and increase production. This included the establishment of development zones in regions such as Valladolid (Renault) and Huelva (a refinery) to promote economic development.

Other factors also promoted economic development.

• Foreign currency: Spanish emigrants living and working in other European countries, such as France, Switzerland and Germany, sent money home to their families in Spain. In addition, European tourists visiting Spain's coastal resorts brought foreign currency with them.
• Foreign investment: foreign companies (especially American ones) invested in the motor, energy and chemical industries.

The measures introduced during this period led to economic growth and an improvement in people's living standards.

Talking book

Society under Franco The traditional rural society which had existed during the early years of Franco's dictatorship was transformed into a modern urban society by the economic development of the 1960s. THE TRADITIONAL RURAL SOCIETY (1940–1960) During the early decades of the dictatorship, the Franco regime implemented a programme of indoctrination which was designed to promote traditional values (such as patriotism, Catholicism and the family). This was carried out by organisations controlled by the Falange, such as the Sección Femenina and the Frente de Juventudes, which educated young Spaniards about politics, physical education and religion in summer camps and courses. Women occupied a traditional family role of wife and mother. The Sección Femenina instructed them in the organisation of family life: taking care of their husbands, bringing up children, cooking, ironing and cleaning. In the post-war years, the mainly rural population suffered from food rationing. This led to the growth of the black market and speculation. The lack of economic development also led to high unemployment, especially in rural areas.     THE MODERN URBAN SOCIETY (1960–1975) The economic development of the 1960s, combined with the Francoist birth-rate policy, led to a large increase in population (known as the baby boom). The population increased from 25 million to 35 million. This population growth in turn caused a rural exodus. People migrated to industrial zones, such as Madrid and Barcelona, and to tourist areas, such as Mallorca and Benidorm. In these areas there were more job opportunities. People also emigrated to other European countries with a shortage of workers, such as France, Switzerland and Germany. Rural areas suffered depopulation and cities grew. In some cities, such as Madrid, shanty towns began to appear on the outskirts of the city, and commuter towns developed. As a result Spain became a mainly urban society.     Improved living standards enabled the growth of the middle class, which was able to spend money on consumer goods, cars (the Seat 600) and summer holidays. From the 1960s onwards, women began to enter the workforce. This signified a change from women's traditional role as wives and mothers to a more modern, independent role. This change was related to the expansion of tourism, advertising, television and cinema, all of which projected an image of women that was at odds with the Francoist vision.