Franco’s Spain: Economic Shifts & Social Impact in the 1960s
Item 12: The Transformations of Spain in the Sixties
Economic Policy and its Consequences
In the late 1950s, the Franco regime faced a situation of economic collapse. Workers demanded the maintenance of their purchasing power. It was necessary to abandon autarky and embrace economic liberalization. Franco initially opposed this, but some of his advisors, the so-called technocrats, convinced him.
Industrialization
With the process of industrialization, industrial production quadrupled. This increase was primarily focused on heavy industry and automobiles, but also in chemicals and the more traditional textile industry. There was an influx of foreign capital and increased trade with other countries. The industrial balance of payments showed a deficit, as imports were more than double exports.
The Energy Problem
The country had an energy deficit. The most negative element of this stage of economic development was the high dependence on oil. The alternative was nuclear energy.
The Social Consequences
Industrialization ultimately meant the urbanization of Spanish society. During this stage, cities grew, forming large metropolitan areas, which accumulated in suburban areas made up of bedroom communities. Most of these people worked in industrial districts.
Migration Processes
The immigration process had important effects, especially in Catalonia. There was spectacular growth caused by the massive arrival of people from the rest of Spain. This process occurred without planning: immigrants lived in precarious conditions and settled in poor housing. Catalonia did not have institutions to spread the teaching of its language and culture. This led to a difficult process of adaptation and integration for other Catalans. Not all labor could be absorbed by new industries and construction activity. The only option for some was to seek employment elsewhere. Emigration went mainly to wealthier European countries. Migrants sent money to their families who stayed in Spain, thus favoring the equilibrium of the balance of payments.
The Standard of Living and the Middle Class
A new middle class was taking shape. The evolution of the standard of living gave rise to a consumer society.
Technocrats and Falangists
The Matesa case occurred, in which alleged fraud was discovered in this export business. The way to confront the fraud was by channeling disputes between technocrats and Falangists. For the first time, a crisis occurred among Franco’s political leaders. The new government had an absolute predominance of technocrats. Carrero Blanco became the vice president.
The Political Regime
There were no significant changes in the structure of the political regime. The technocrats pushed for economic reforms and wanted to modernize the country, but not democratize it. They were members of Opus Dei, a Catholic organization that included many members of the regime’s economic and political elites. The Falange and some soldiers looked at them with suspicion. Laureano López Rodó led the stabilization plans. Carrero Blanco represented Opus Dei.
The New Opposition
A new opposition to the Franco regime was taking shape: the renewal of generations, young people who had not lived through or directly participated in the Civil War. The dictatorship intensified its repressive character. The Public Order Court was created to prosecute political crimes.
The Labor Movement
The CNT and the UGT played a testimonial role. A new movement was being created: Workers’ Commissions (CCOO). The court declared the CCOO illegal.
The Opposition to the Regime in Catalonia and the Catalan Language
In Catalonia, there were protests of a civic and cultural nature, such as the campaign against the director of La Vanguardia newspaper, who said that “all Catalans are shit,” or the campaign of detentions due to the events at the Palau de la Música. On this occasion, the audience sang the “Cant de la Senyera,” a song banned by the dictatorship, in the presence of several of Franco’s ministers. The appointment of a non-Catalan archbishop of Barcelona led to the “We want Catalan bishops” campaign. The Assembly of Catalonia was a new organization that brought together all anti-Francoist Catalans. It established four points:
- Implementation of civil liberties
- Enactment of an amnesty for all political prisoners
- Re-creation of their own Statute of Autonomy
- Coordination with the democratic struggle of other peoples of Spain