Franco’s Dictatorship (1939-1959): Construction and Consolidation

Posted on Nov 6, 2024 in History

Franco’s Dictatorship (1939-1959)

Introduction

The Spanish Civil War’s end in 1939 consolidated Franco’s dictatorial regime, established in October 1936. This regime lasted until Franco’s death in 1975. Throughout its nearly forty years, the Franco regime remained a harsh dictatorship marked by fierce repression. However, its institutions evolved and adapted. The regime is broadly divided into two phases. The first, lasting until approximately 1959, focused on establishing a totalitarian state inspired by fascism and implementing economic autarky. Supporting the Axis powers in World War II left Spain internationally isolated. The second phase, beginning in the 1950s, saw economic liberalization and a relaxation of fascist features due to the failing autarkic economy and the need for international recognition. This resulted in significant economic growth and social modernization throughout the 1960s.

1. Post-War Spain

a) Political Aspects

Features of the Franco Regime

• Totalitarianism: The 1931 Constitution and individual/collective guarantees were abolished. Parliament was closed, and political parties/trade unions were banned, replaced by a single party and union.
• Caudillismo: Franco, as Caudillo of Spain, held all governing power: head of state, prime minister, and leader of the army and party.
• Centralized State: Autonomous regions were abolished, particularly targeting Catalan nationalism.
• Suppression of Opposition: Systematic persecution of Republican supporters.
• Media Control: Censorship and propaganda were pervasive.

Pillars of the Regime

• The Army: Held key positions in ministries and provincial governments.
• The Single Party: The Falange controlled media and appointments. Subsidiary organizations included the Youth Front, Women’s Section, and the Spanish University Union.
• The Catholic Church: Spain became a confessional Catholic state, with the Church controlling education and promoting Catholic values.

Social Support

• Economic and social elites regained power under the dictatorship.
• The middle class, despite ideological objections, became passive.
• The working class, though initially opposed, was subdued by repression, fear, and poverty.

Families of the Regime

• Groups supporting the 1936 uprising: Falangists, Carlists, ultra-Catholics, and Alfonsinos.
• Incorporated groups: Some Republicans (CEDA).
• Influential groups: Opus Dei.

2. Instruments of Repression

Opponents were labeled enemies of Spain. Indiscriminate violence and institutionalized repression were rampant. The Law of Political Responsibilities and the Law of Suppression of Communism and Freemasonry were key tools. The army played a central role. An estimated 150,000 people were executed, and 280,000 imprisoned. Disciplinary Battalions provided forced labor. Confiscation of property and purges were common. Nationalist expressions were suppressed, and non-Castilian cultural events were banned. Many intellectuals and professionals fled into exile.

3. The New State Structure

of the Franco dictatorship tried to give a picture of law with the enactment of Basic Laws that take the place of absent Constitution. This fabric was organic democracy. In 1938 Franco kept on your person all the powers and is head: – The State – birth – and general of the three armies – Although he was also head of government. Fundamental Laws: – In 1938, established the Charter of Labor, regulating labor relations and the principles established national syndicalism. – In 1945, it established the Charter of the Spanish, set of duties and rights of the Spanish. The list of rights was not accompanied by any guarantee so that they can exert. – In 1945, established the National Referendum Law, the head of state could submit to referendum issues deemed appropriate. – In 1947, the Law of Succession, established Spain as a kingdom and provided for the monarchy as the successor to Franco. – In 1958, the Law on Principles of movement, updating the guiding principles of the state. All civil servants were required to jurarlos before taking possession. – In 1942, the Law on Courts, the Courts defined as the highest organ of the Spanish people to participate in the work of the State. All representatives, called prosecutors were appointed by the power, had also sought by virtue of his office. Prosecutors emerged from the third family, who were elected by vote by householders (people addicted to the regime. These courts were not democratic. The government’s power transmitting mediating civil governors of each province. It also revived the military structure of the Captaincy General. In the councils, mayors were local leaders of the Movement, who were elected by the provincial governor. Another state power were the Vertical Union – In 1967: Organic Law of the State, to purge their language of fascist rhetoric confirmed the monarchical institution of the regime and sought to make the future well-bound and tied.Concentrated state functions while maintaining the concentration of power of the dictator but to introduce the separation between the head of state and chairman of the government. 4. Foreign policy, international relations and evolution of the regime. At the beginning of the Second World War 1939-1945 Franco declared Spain’s neutrality. In 1940, the German victory over France led the transition from neutrality to non-belligerency. Involving diplomatic and economic support to the Axis powers. Germany and Italy to explore the possibilities of Spanish integration in the conflict. Franco meets with Hitler. Had advantages: the possibility of extending the African colonies and the recovery of Gibraltar. Franco raised a number of financial compensation and territorial expansion that made the dictator thought the price was too high. Finally, Spain has not entered the war. In 1941 a volunteer unit (Blue Division) was sent to the USSR. – In October 1943, the war began to go against the fascist powers. So there was a return to neutrality. And the U.S. and Britain put pressure on Franco to distance itself from the fascists. – In 1945, he find and the war with Germany’s defeat. The scheme Catholic, conservative, anti could evolve into a monarchy. 2) The years of the international boycott of 1945-47 * The end of the second war was for a period of Franco, international isolation and rejection. * When you created the UN, condemned the regime, imposed by force and helps the fascist power. – The French government closed the border with Spain – Agreement of the UN General Assembly recommended the withdrawal of ambassadors in 1946. – International condemnation was presented as a ploy to discredit foreign to Spain and bring a new Spanish Civil War. – As a result of international isolation, there was a huge political and economic costs. – Franco could not benefit from the so-called Marshall Plan (1947) or the NATO North Atlantic Treaty (1949). 3) International recognition and national prevalence of Catholicism 1947-53 – In 1947 at the start of the Cold War altered the international situation and produced two sides: USSR and USA. The U.S. and Western countries want to have an ally in the fight against communism, rather than pressing the Franco regime. Franco’s verbal sentences were upheld. In 1947 U.S. refused to impose new sanctions on Spain. In 1950, reserves the withdrawal of ambassadors. In 1951, Franco reshapes his administration, urging figures not as committed to the principles more authoritarian. In 1953, Franco signed agreements with the United States and the concordat with the Holy See. 4) The first attempts to open 1953-59 – The admission of Spain had given a respite to the Franco regime, but many problems remain unresolved. – The economic situation was difficult: the production increased slowly and the standard of living was lower than in other countries. – There was a wave of labor protests and early motion. – There were student protests. – And in the new government reshuffle, came as ministers, from the Opus Dei. B) Economics: autarchy and rationing One of the objectives of the first stage of Franco was to achieve economic self-sufficiency (autarky). There was an exterior insulation and replacement of the free market by government intervention in the economy. Autarkic policies had three areas: trade, industry and agriculture. a) Foreign trade: imports and exports began to be controlled by the state. There were several consequences: – Reduction of imports, must-haves.- The rise of products – consumer goods shortages – shortages of raw materials (like cotton), which caused a decline in domestic production. b) Industry: In order to ensure military and political independence of the new state. Some laws favored the creation of public enterprises and the development of capital goods industries. This led to a high public spending. Consequences: – In 1941, it nationalized all railroads and created the National Network of Spanish Railways (RENFE) – In 1945, it nationalized the National Telephone Company of Spain (CTNE) – In 1941, founded the National Institute Industry (INI). Prompted many companies to produce goods that the private non-factor produced by lack of profitability. The State prioritized investment in sectors linked to the military defense, to oil and transport items. Companies were created as Seat, Endesa, BEE. c) Agriculture: the State regulated: the production, marketing and consumption. Consequences: 1. Decreased productivity – economic stagnation, characterized by the collapse of foreign trade, substantial fall in production and consumption levels and a decrease in living standards of the population. – Also, constituting an impediment to modernizing trends of the Spanish economy. 2. Rationing and black market: the rigid rules of the autarkic economy entailed market control by the state. The result – widespread food shortages and rationing of staples. – And the pricing of the food price below its value means that many producers prefer to hide the production to be sold on the black market. Market fraud affecting food, raw materials and industrial products. 3. Harsh living conditions in the 40’s: – Wages were low – had product shortages – and higher prices. The increased cost of living exceeded 500% The standard of living decreased as a result, inflation and low wages. Hunger affects a large proportion of the population and all resulted in the slums, with the use of caves as homes and the growing phenomenon of the lodgers. Social: opposition and exile in the final phase of the Civil War, many people were committed to the Republic, The exile resulted in the loss of important people at the intellectual, artistic and scientific, a fact that influenced the low level of cultural production in Spain after the war. His situation became more difficult during the German occupation of France, involving the persecution of Spanish immigrants, many chose to emigrate to Britain and America. The political institutions of the Republic and the Catalan and Basque governments continued to operate in exile. Most Republican political and union organizations maintained their organization in exile, but were characterized by internal divisions. Advocated a united front and develop diplomatic work and advocated guerrilla warfare. After the war, opposition parties and trade unions in France. Games: PSOE and PCE. Trade unions: UGT and CNT, had been completely dismantled. Its reconstruction was slow and had to be done in absolute secrecy, dodging the police repression that dislocated impeccable organization and susdirigentes imprisoned. The most active political party was able to rebuild their PCE structure and maintain some clandestine activity. You can divide the actions of the opposition during the early Franco in three stages: 1.Early in 1944, characterized by harsh repression. The most significant guerrilla activity was led by the maquis (Republicans are fighters that are designated to defeat and continue the war) 2. From 1944-47 was influenced by the Allied victory, which created favorable international conditions to a fall of the Franco regime. The possible allied intervention in Spain led to the creation of platforms between different opposition forces unit.
In 1944: 1. The sectors most democratic monarchists were organized around Juan de Borbón is the hope for a speedy restoration of the monarchy 2. This commitment caused the National Alliance of Democratic Forces, made up of Socialists, Republicans and some CNT. Other Organizations (anarchists and communists) pushed for and attempted armed uprising to end the dictatorship. From France the most dramatic action was the invasion of the Aran Valley. 3. From 1948-1951, there was a restructuring of the opposition movement because of the demoralization that led to the consolidation of the dictatorship of Franco. At the end of 48: – It was clear that no European power was willing to collaborate on a strategy to overthrow the Spanish dictator, or that the guerrillas seemed to end the dictatorship. – Guardia Civil and police had cleared all the political resistance at home. – The political world of exile became increasingly distant from the Spanish political situation and ongoing controversies engaged in old heir to the GC Social Conflict – Spain began to resurface in a timid popular protest movement, played by the working classes – The PCE abandoning the armed struggle and focused on clandestine political action inside the country, in order to rebuild its internal organization and increasing its influence on workers. – The sectors like HOAC Catholic workers, began to raise social and labor demands. In 1946, there were disputes in the textile, metallurgy, chemical and shipbuilding in 1947, held a tram strike in Barcelona in 1958, a strike movement in Asturias impose State and for 4 months. In 1956-57: developed the first student riots in the universities.