The Economic and Social Revolutions in Spain: The Franco Regime - Essay Example

The Franco Regime [Insert here] [Insert of school here] The Franco Regime General Francisco Franco is without a doubt, one of the most talked about individuals responsible for shaping Spain’s political history. Primarily associated with the Franco Regime, which harnessed power at the end of the Spanish Civil War, Franco’s premier ambition growing up was to follow in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather in pursuit of a sea based military career1. Unfortunately, by the time of his admission in 1907, the Spanish Government temporarily suspended admissions in the Naval Academy because of financial setbacks robbing Franco of his chance. Quite determined to embark on a military career, Franco enrolled in the Infantry Academy in Toledo, but sadly, later graduated with failing grades. However, with his mind set on military success, Franco went back to his home town of El Ferrol in the early 1910s, where he volunteered to fight in a revolt in Spanish-controlled Morocco until 1927. Franco progressed in his military career up until 1931, however, because of his Authoritarian Rightist characteristic found himself being reprimanded for some sensitive comments he made about some of the political actions of the Second Republic Government who overthrew the King in the recently held elections and implemented measures that diminished the influence and power of the military, the Catholic Churches as well as property owning elites. Franco suffered the consequences for that when his Military Academy was shut down. Nonetheless, this didn’t put an extensive damper on Franco’s military career, because two years later following the closure of his Military Academy by the Government of the Second Republic in 1933, he was back in good graces with the Government merely because the Centre Right Coalition won its elections in that same period. Franco’s military career was decorated with numerous military merits, awards and promotions. He proved himself to be very radical and tactful, attributes which have moulded him and aided him throughout his career and by 1935, Franco was appointed Army Chief of Staff. However, in 1936, a Leftist Coalition won the elections and immediately military leaders started plotting a rebellion-including Franco. Multiple research consultations have acknowledged Franco’s role in the Spanish Civil War from 1936-1939. Research denotes that on July 18, 1936, military had already set up bases, launching a multi pronged uprising which gave them full control of the Western part of the country.1 A part of his role during the Spanish Civil War was to transport troops to the mainland whilst forming allies with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy in order to get assistance and secure weaponry. Further down this historical timeline in 1936, Franco Francisco was appointed Generalissimo of Nationalist Spain and Head of State.2 Throughout his military career, Franco had imprinted an impression about himself, which defined him as ruthless. A ruthlessness that respected no opposition, reinforced order and a ruthlessness that had him being respected by the likes of even Adolf Hitler. Many of Franco’s operations have left thousands dead or imprisoned, and his actions were contributing factors to street violence and political unrest in his country. Franco’s power grew even more with aid from Italian and German affiliates that helped him to conquer Basque lands in Asturias in 1937. In 1939, Franco accepted victory for Barcelona which fell in 1939 and Madrid which surrendered in March of that year-thus ending the war. This marked the beginning of Franco’s Regime and this meant one thing-Franco was the law. With the influence of his position of Leader of the Nationalist Government and Armed Forces, Francisco managed to gather support from the Catholic Church which combined the Fascist and Monarchist Political Parties-thus eliminating all other political parties. Franco’s power grew to a point and at a pace where not even the internally divided Republicans could slow his progress despite intervention from the Soviet Union and the International Brigade. The Spanish Civil War caused many Republicans to flee and a tribunal was set up for those that chose to remain, one which sent many of them to their death. His regime permitted Catholicism as the only religion, prohibited the use of Basque and Catalon languages outside the home as well banned babies from getting any names derived from Basque or Catalon languages. Additionally, the Franco Regime facilitated a secret police system that would spy on citizens, barred labour unions and promoted self sufficiency policies. Franco’s regime made him so powerful that he had the right to appoint or dismiss Ministers and Policy Makers as he sought fit-he had the final say on every political decision3. Franco’s ruling of Spain was influenced from his military career, enforcing order and discipline and ruling out the opposition. Franco considered himself as Spain’s saviour, there to ‘save’ them from the evils of democracy and political parties, which he believed was responsible for destroying Spain’s unity. Franco’s Regime made him primarily responsible for policy making and political structures, which were created using a pragmatic approach. For one, Franco never derived a true constitutional system, which made him very flexible with dealing and changing domestic and international situations. Despite not having established a true constitutional system, there were seven fundamental laws that were established under Franco’s Regime. The Labour Charter was Franco’s first law passed on March 9, 1938.3 This law defined the social policies of Franco’s Regime and reinforced mutual obligations between State and citizens. This law gave the Spaniards the right to work and required employers and employees to join the vertical syndicates (similar to trade unions) which encouraged both to work for the good of the nation. The Constituent Law of the Cortes (Spanish Parliament) of 1942 is another fundamental law which provided trappings for constitutionalism.3 Merely just an advisory body, the Spanish Parliament didn’t have the right to initiate any form of legislation nor do they have the right to vote against the government, but they could approve laws presented by Executives as this was their primary role. Under Franco’s regime, Franco, himself can implement and execute any laws as he desired without consultation with the Cortes, and he had the right to dismiss these Ministers anytime. Franco’s third fundamental law came in 1945, “the Charter of Rights”. This law can be considered a façade of democracy, as the rights bestowed on the citizens can be easily suspended without justification as they were awarded. Furthermore, this law urged the Spaniards to obey the laws of the country, guaranteed them freedom of speech but warned them not to attack the principles of the state. Another law passed that same year was the law on Referenda-another of Franco’s attempt of his façade of democracy. This law affirmed that issues of national concern from the Spanish citizens could be submitted via a Referenda. However, Franco had the sole right to determine if Referenda would be called. The year 1947 saw the emergence of another of Franco’s fundamental laws-The law of succession. It was also the first to be submitted by means of a Referendum-the previous fundamental law. This law stipulated that Spain would be of a particular monarchy style. It also declared that Franco would be ruler for life, unless incapacitated. When the time was right, he had the authority to name the next King-and when the hearing was held, over 90% of the voters approved of the measures. The Law on the Principles of the National Movement was Franco’s sixth fundamental law, passed in 1958. Government officials and possibly future successors to Franco were required to pledge their loyalty to the principles of this law, which is actually a merger of all previous fundamental laws. Franco’s final fundamental law was the Organic Law of the State passed in 1966. This law practically clarified some practices with a little reform. It distinguished the functions between the President of the Government and the Head of States as well as outlined the procedures for Government Officials. The early years of the Regime were clouded with repression and political challenges which affected economic development. Franco used force to bully and manipulate the citizens to reinforce order resulting in executions being carried out until 1944. Instead of establishing a mutual base of trust between himself and the people, his actions drove fear into the people of the land. The military played a very important role in the Franco Regime Government, more specifically with the state of the martial law which stayed in effect until 1948. Franco used his powers to make all or any laws passed by the Second Republic Government invalid that he considered offensive to his political beliefs. As a result, Franco banned civil marriages, made divorce illegal and ordered religious education compulsory in all schools. Technocrats believed that economic prosperity would have eliminated hostility towards the regime but growing tension between a country with much potential and its repressive government attracted much opposition throughout the 1960s. The work force became increasingly rebellious. Employees organized undercover commissions, and regular strikes and bombings were indications that General Franco would not be able to maintain his ‘repressive’ grip on the workforce forever. Additionally, regional dissatisfaction was contributing to escalating violent protests in the Basque region and of course Catalonia. Protests were also becoming widespread amongst university students who were not in favour of how strict Francos regime was. The strongest opposition to the Franco regime in the late 1960s and the early 1970s came from the revolutionary Basque nationalist group, Basque Fatherland and Freedom. This rebel group used terror tactics and assassinations to reinforce its demands. However, the most daring act executed by this group was the Luis Carrero Blanco assassination in December 1973, whom Franco had elected as his first prime minister. Carrero Blanco embraced the rules of the Franco Regime and he was seen as the only one who could execute the Caudillos policies efficiently. Franco who said that he didn’t find the burden of the government particularly heavy4 perceived this assassination as their most serious governmental crisis to an extent where it actually affected the continuity of whatever he planned. Tensions mounting within the regime itself in the late 1960s would have made a continuation of Francos system indefensible even without Carrero Blancos assassination. Conflicts between the reactionary elements of the regime and those who were willing to reinforce reform had plagued Carrero Blanco. Carrero Blanco was succeeded by Carlos Arias Navarro. Navarro’s first speech to the Spanish Parliament on February 12, 1974, promised liberalizing reforms, which included the right to form political associations; however, diehard Francoists (Franco Regime Supporters) on the right, who believed changes would lead to disorder, and radical reformers on the left, who were not satisfied with anything less than a total break with the past, condemned the new Prime Minister. As Spain drew closer to the end of the Franco Regime, it was marked with increasing violence and unrest. The eagerness of the Leader’s fall and his increasing incapacity destabilized the country, and there was ongoing conflict between liberalizing and reforms. As a recession in the late 1960s overtook rapid economic expansion, labour agitation heightened. Numerous strikes and increasing rebellion in the universities pushed Franco to proclaim a state of exception throughout Spain in the early months of the year 1969. Citizens’ freedom of speech and assembly were suspended and for some time, it seemed to be going back to the repressive 1940s. Franco’s remaining ruling years saw unprecedented opposition to which his government responded aggressively increasing tension between the regime and the people, leaving the regime in a state of constant turmoil. The unrest of the mid-1960s did not gravely affect Spains economic development, however, and Franco--after two and a half decades in power—started to get complacent thinking the regime was sufficiently secure and economically booming for a slight loosening of his dictatorial control. The last fundamental law, the Organic Law of the State, which had been passed by referendum in 1966, provided a small amount of liberalization while it solidified Francos political system. The Law on Religious Freedom, which had been approved in June 1967, lifted restrictions on non-Catholics. Censorship laws were modified in that same year, and a considerably wider expression of opinion followed. In July 1969, Franco bestowed his regime with a greater degree of authenticity and continuity by naming as his successor, Prince Juan Carlos de Borbon. Between 1974 and 1975, the regime received opposition from left and right. Labour strikes, in which even actors participated, stretched across the country. Universities were in a state of mayhem, as the popular clamour for democracy grew more strident. Terrorist activities increased dramatically causing the Basque region to be covered under martial law in April 1975. At the time of Francos death on November 20, 1975, Spain was left in a chronic state of crisis. Francos legacy had been an extraordinary era of peace, discipline, and military politics and undergirded by his authoritarian grip on the country. While forced political solidity enabled Spain to share in the remarkable period of economic development experienced by Europe in the 1960s, it suppressed, but did not eliminate, other sources of conflict in Spanish society. The economic and social revolutions that Spain experienced in the last decades of Francoist rule complicated these tensions, which were aggravated as the regime drew to a close. Immediately following Francos death, change appeared predictable, despite the fact that it was uncertain how long the change would take and the extent to which it could be controlled. 1 References Payne, Stanley G. "Francisco Franco (ruler of Spain) : Francos dictatorship -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Britannica Online Encyclopedia. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/216925/Francisco-Franco/2446/Francos-dictatorship (accessed March 14, 2013) "Francisco Franco — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts." History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. http://www.history.com/topics/francisco-franco (accessed March 14, 2013). Trueman, Chris. "General Francisco Franco." History Learning Site. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/general_francisco_franco.htm (accessed March 14, 2013). "Spain - THE FRANCO YEARS." Country Studies. http://countrystudies.us/spain/22.htm (accessed March 14, 2013). Read More