Franco’s Spain (1939-1959): Ideology, Politics, and Society

Posted on Nov 21, 2024 in History

Item 10: The First Franco Regime (1939-1959)

Fundamentals, ideological and political evolution. Socio-economic developments and political opposition to the regime.

Definition and Characteristics of Francoism

What is Francoism? It is the political, economic, and social system named after the dictator Franco. It emerged during the Civil War (1936-39), was consolidated internally and externally, and disappeared with Franco’s death in 1975.

Features:

  • Concentration of power in one person.
  • Creation of a single channel of political participation: the National Movement, composed of:
    • A single party.
    • A vertical union bringing together entrepreneurs and workers.
    • Multiple social framework agencies.
  • The head of the Movement was Franco.
  • All public officials swore allegiance to the Principles of the National Movement.
  • During the war, an assembly called the National Movement was established.
  • The Movement spread throughout the institutions, reaching the mayor of each town, who acted as the local chief of the Movement.

Ideological Foundations

The very simple ideological foundations are:

  • Anti-Communism: This included not only socialists, communists, or anarchists but also the democratic bourgeoisie. They were derisively called “reds” and faced harsh repression. After World War II, the division of the world into communist and capitalist blocs (Cold War) favored the U.S. and other countries being open to the anti-Franco regime, which led to its international survival.
  • Exacerbated Nationalism, Catholicism, and Traditionalism: The regime self-classified as defending national unity, spiritual and social development. Nationalism was understood in a centralized and exclusive way. Catholicism became the official state religion, and the Church regained control of education. Francoism had a strong traditionalist element from the beginning.
  • Militarism: Franco imposed his tendency to govern society with military-style symbols. Military organization permeated everyday life and constantly recalled the military’s role in the triumph of “true Spanish values.”

Support

Franco’s dictatorship rested on the so-called political families. Franco, aware that his survival depended on them, maintained a balance of power between them. Among those families who supported the regime, the following stand out:

  • Army: Franco’s leadership during the Civil War ensured the army’s support. Senior military figures always held key positions.
  • Church: The Church was favored from the beginning and collaborated actively. Bishops and prelates contributed to political office through organizations like Opus Dei.
  • The Traditionalist Spanish Falange de las JONS: Developed by Serrano Suñer, Franco’s brother-in-law, it became the single party of the regime and a strong support for Franco. It began its slow decline after World War II.
  • Royalists: Not all royalists who supported the revolt continued to support Franco. The Carlist Traditionalist ideology supported the regime and, although a minority, held the Ministry of Justice. The rest of the monarchist supporters backed Juan de Borbón as Franco’s successor. However, when they saw the succession as difficult, they began to exert some opposition from outside Spain. Others continued to collaborate with the regime, especially after Franco decided that his successor would be Juan de Borbón’s son, Juan Carlos.
  • Landowning and Financial Oligarchy: The great instigator of the “uprising” was the major beneficiary of the order and conservatism imposed by Franco, so they continued working with him.
  • Peasants: Some peasants in media and Navarre Plateau and sections of the middle class supported the regime out of fear.

Social Development and Economic Policy

During this period, a personal dictatorship was solidified, with General Francisco Franco as the leading figure. He concentrated in his hands the roles of head of state, government, army, and National Movement. He held the presidency of the National Council and the National Defense Board, appointed the Presidents of the United Council of the Parliament, the Supreme Court, the Court of Auditors, and the National Economic Council. He appointed government ministers, forty National Councilors, and 25 attorneys in the Cortes. He was also the head of the Trade Organization, was involved in the appointment of bishops, and, in addition, appointed a successor with the title of king.

During the war and this period, the system was institutionalized, resulting in extensive legislative work. Various organic laws were adopted, which made up what is called the Fundamental Laws of the Movement.

The “First Franco” period can be divided into two stages:

Political Developments

Step 1: The Construction of the Regime (1939-1951). Highlights:
  • Repression against the vanquished (270,000 arrests and 30,000 executions) and the purging of officials who served the Republic.
  • The most relevant figure of the regime was Serrano Suñer, who designed a National Socialist state. This marked the beginning of a Nacionalcatolicismo stage.
  • During the early years, the Phalangists and the military controlled power. Later, after the Second World War, the influence of the Church and the Royalists increased. When the latter realized that Franco would not relinquish power, they published a manifesto in Lausanne, where Juan de Borbón advocated a transition to democracy, the creation of a Constituent Cortes, and the granting of amnesty to restore the monarchy and achieve national reconciliation. Later (1947), the Succession Act was passed, defining Spain as a Catholic, social, and representative state, constituted as a kingdom. In 1948, Don Juan agreed that his son, Juan Carlos, would be brought up in Spain. There was a hidden conflict between Falangists (hardliners) and monarchists (advocating for openings).