Francoist Spain: Key Terms and Concepts

Key Terms of Francoist Spain

Franco’s Titles and Roles

Generalissimo of the Armies: Title received during the Franco dictatorship, signifying supreme command of the army.
Leader: Title signifying his role as the guide of the people and crowned as maximum leader.

Political and Social Structures

Falange: The only political party allowed during the Franco dictatorship, created by Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera. An extreme right-wing party.
Blue Division: Spanish volunteer unit that served on the German side during World War II, mainly against the Soviet Union.
International Isolation: Spain was incommunicado with the rest of the world, leading to an economic blockade due to the dictatorship.
Concordat: Agreement with the Vatican, signed when international isolation was beginning to break.
Autarky: Economic system in which a country is self-sufficient with its own resources.
Rationing: Cards given to the people to control the amount of food purchased per person due to food scarcity.
Smuggling: Illegal trade of goods subject to taxes.
Women’s Section: Branch of the Falange, directed by Pilar Primo de Rivera. Its aim was to promote national-syndicalist spirit and traditional values in women, emphasizing the roles of mother and submissive wife.
Technocrats: Ministers, many involved in Opus Dei, who entered the government and introduced modernizing and technical criteria.
Opus Dei: Catholic institution that includes religious and secular members, whose primary mission is to spread Catholic beliefs and guide the lives of its members towards holiness.
National Movement: The name given to all political forces that supported the military uprising, including totalitarians and fascists.

Policies and Developments

Organic Democracy: Euphemism used to continue denying parliamentary democracy and individual political and union freedoms.
Development Plans: Projects launched by the government to promote industrial development and reduce imbalances between different regions of Spain.
Social Security: System of collective insurance that protects workers from risks of accidents, sickness, disability, old age, and death. Financed through contributions from workers, employers, and the state.

Resistance and Opposition

Maquis: Armed groups that hoped the Allied victory in World War II would lead to the overthrow of the dictatorship in Spain.
Workers’ Commissions (CCOO): Trade union that arose with the new social movements of the dictatorship, leading labor struggles.
Assembly of Catalonia: Assembly that included all democratic opposition forces, based on four demands: freedom, amnesty, and a statute of autonomy.

Crises and Conflicts

Oil Crisis: Caused by the rapid rise in oil prices and raw materials, ending a period of growth and prosperity and ushering in a deep economic recession.
Sahara Conflict: The Spanish colony was coveted by its neighbors, especially Morocco, due to its rich phosphate deposits. The Polisario Front was created, advocating for independence. Morocco took advantage of Franco’s poor health and organized a peaceful invasion of the territory called the Green March.

Transition to Democracy

Political Reform Act: Law that organized the transformation of the Francoist Cortes into a Congress of Deputies and a Senate elected by universal suffrage.