Francoism in Spain: Political, Economic, and Social Evolution (1939-1959)
Francoism: Political, Economic, and Social Evolution (1939-1959)
General Characteristics
- Concentration of Power: All powers were concentrated in the figure of Francisco Franco, who served as Head of State and Government, National Chief of the Movement, and Generalissimo of the armies. This was coupled with the exaltation of a charismatic leader.
- Anti-Communism and Anti-Liberalism: The regime was staunchly anti-communist and anti-liberal, rejecting democracy and any form of pluralism.
- National-Catholicism: There was a strong identification with the values of the Catholic Church, whose morals became the official morality in both public and private life.
- Traditionalism and Nationalism: The regime incorporated Carlist ideology and promoted an exalted form of nationalism, fiercely rejecting peripheral nationalisms, imposing Castilian, and banning the use of Catalan and Basque, among other measures.
Support Base
The regime’s support came from several key groups:
- The financial oligarchy and landowners, who regained social and economic hegemony following the cancellation of Republican reforms.
- The Falange.
- The Army.
- The Church.
Additional support was found in the rural and urban middle classes of inland Spain (Castile). There was very little support within the working class, which was kept under constant repression.
Political Families
All political parties were banned, and a one-party system (FET de las JONS, also called the National Movement) was established, following a fascist model. Despite the apparent monolithic structure, various interest groups, known as “Political Families,” could be distinguished within the movement. These included:
- Phalangists
- Military
- Catholics
- Royalists
Franco maintained a balance between these groups, giving them varying degrees of power depending on the circumstances.
Evolution of Economic and Social Policy (1939-1959)
Due to the absolute concentration of power in Franco’s hands, the regime never had a constitution or institutions with real power. Legislation was drafted directly by the government through decree-laws. The so-called Fundamental Laws (Labor Law, Jurisdiction of the Spanish, etc.) and the institutions created by the regime (Spanish Courts, National Council of the Movement, etc.) never limited Franco’s absolute power.
1939-1945: Post-War Reconstruction and Autarky
The priority was to rebuild the country, which had been devastated by war. An economic policy of autarky, following the fascist model, was implemented, with total state intervention in the economy. Prices were fixed, and industrial and agricultural production, imports, and exports were controlled. This resulted in economic stagnation, with economic levels remaining below those of the Republic until 1959. Hunger and misery gripped much of the Spanish population, who were subjected to food rationing. A black market flourished.
In foreign policy, there was an alignment with the Axis powers, while maintaining neutrality in the war. The Falangists reached their greatest share of power, especially the pro-Nazi minister Serrano Suñer.
1945-1953: International Isolation
After the end of World War II, a difficult period began for Franco. While the U.S. and Britain were reluctant to end the Franco regime, valuing the political stability of Franco’s Spain, the country was subjected to a policy of international isolation. Franco made changes to the regime: Falangist ministers were removed, and the more external aspects of fascism were abandoned. Catholics gained positions of power, attempting to give the regime a more moderate image, seeking the support of the Vatican.
1953-1959: Consolidation and the Cold War
These were the years of Franco’s consolidation. Franco successfully leveraged his anti-communist stance during the Cold War, gaining U.S. support and ending international isolation. In 1950, Spain entered the UN. In 1953, a military pact was signed with the U.S., involving the transfer of military bases in exchange for economic aid. A new Concordat was also signed with the Holy See, strengthening the hegemonic role of the Church in Spain.
The main problem remained in the economic field, where the autarkic policy continued to paralyze the Spanish economy. The seriousness of the situation forced a change in economic policy with the 1959 Stabilization Plan, marking the end of the first phase of Francoism.