SPANISH MODEL OF TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY (original) (raw)

"National and Subnational Democracy in Spain: History, Models and Challenges"

2010

Democracy in Spain is embedded in a typical configuration of institutional elements characteristic of the Spanish state organization and culture that have been determined by its particular political history, but are comparable to other European states. However, it is not easy to categorize Spain clearly into a single state tradition model. Recent transformations have meant a complete redistribution of power and a rescaling of the traditional Spanish state institutions. The Spanish model of subnational democracy has evolved parallel to the consolidation of the first successful experience of liberal democracy occurred at the national level during the last thirty years. Democracy at the subnational level has been influenced by the state tradition, but at the same time has transformed its structure and the behaviour of political actors from a consensual towards a more majoritarian model. This has been done alongside far-reaching decentralization and the emergence of particular regional democratic institutions, party systems, welfare state policies and the recovering of local self-government.

The Spanish Transition Forty Years Later. Democracy, Devolution and Pluralism

Global Centre for Pluralism. Accounting for Change in Diverse Societies: Cases and Themes., 2017

With the death of Franco in 1975, Spain faced multiple challenges, including how best to manage the transition from fascist dictatorship to democracy while also addressing the rise of nationalist movements in Catalonia and the Basque Country seeking autonomy. That the leaders of the democratic transition would build territorial pluralism into their conception of democratization was by no means inevitable. Why and how did democratization and pluralism intersect during the Spanish democratic transition? Forty years on, what does the Spanish experience tell us about the relationship between democracy and devolution and the changing place of pluralism within the self-identity of the country? Which sources of exclusion stubbornly endure?

Diversity and Decentralization in the Democratization Process in Spain

This paper will deal with the history of an important political change in Spain during the transition to democracy between 1976 and 1982: the transformation of a unitary and centralized state to one composed of several political units capable of self-government. The starting point of that process was the confirmation of regional diversity and of the existence of clearly differentiated political sensibilities in some of its territories. The researchers shall rely especially on the legacy of some of the principal actors, and explore the connection between such diversity and the political change that took place.

National and Subnational Democracy in Spain: History, Models and Challenges (2010)

César Colino & Eloisa del Pino

Democracy in Spain is embedded in a typical configuration of institutional elements characteristic of the Spanish state organization and culture that have been determined by its particular political history, but are comparable to other European states. However, it is not easy to categorize Spain clearly into a single state tradition model. Recent transformations have meant a complete redistribution of power and a rescaling of the traditional Spanish state institutions. The Spanish model of subnational democracy has evolved parallel to the consolidation of the first successful experience of liberal democracy occurred at the national level during the last thirty years. Democracy at the subnational level has been influenced by the state tradition, but at the same time has transformed its structure and the behaviour of political actors from a consensual towards a more majoritarian model. This has been done alongside far-reaching decentralization and the emergence of particular regional democratic institutions, party systems, welfare state policies and the recovering of local self-government.

Spanish and Mexican transitions to democracy in a comparative perspective : contrasting internationalisations

2014

There is more to democratic transitions than elections and markets. This thesis is a comparative study between the internationalisation processes in Spain and Mexico and the interaction between these and the respective transitions to democracy in both countries. The stark contrast between the institutional, political and sociocultural provisions in NAFTA and the EU-as well as the distinctly different considerations that shaped the strategies of international actors towards Spain and Mexico during their transitions to democracy-interacted in very distinctive ways with the processes of democratisation of Mexico and Spain respectively. Whilst an implicit democratic conditionality for membership into the European Community proved an incentive to Spain to democratise, NAFTA's lack of any political conditions proved an incentive for the Mexican regime to hold back on democracy. What is more, the social, economic and political consequences of internationalising through EEC membership had a positive democratic effect in Spain. The lack of any such provision in NAFTA represented a missed opportunity to support Mexico's democratic consolidation. By using the examples of the EU (or EEC) and NAFTA, and the particular case studies of Spain and Mexico, I will contribute towards the field of democratisation theory by putting forward the idea that the way in which a country in transition to democracy internationalises can be an important factor in the success with which a country achieves the consolidation of democracy.

Spain as the State of Autonomies. Principles Behind the Territorial Organization Between 1978 and 1983

Humanities and Social Sciences quarterly, 2020

This article examines the territorial configuration of Spain between 1978 and 1983. The article investigates whether the scope of autonomy granted to the regions inhabited by "the historical nationalities" fulfilled their need of being independent from the central government in Madrid. The article also examines the impact of regionalization on the awakening of local awareness and identification within communities in which it had not existed before. The creation of the Autonomous Communities also affected the party system of Spain in which the major role was played by the regional parties, especially in the construction of the electoral system to Cortes Generales. This allowed strong nationalist groups to become represented in the parliament, enhancing the impact of regionalization on the increase in self-awareness and making the regions fight over their interests in the national arena.

The Nation in Spain: An Instrument for Qualitative Inquiry into a Complex Question

Revista Española de Investigaciones Sociológicas, 2018

This paper is an innovative study about the territorial organisation of the Spanish State (TOSS) and how it is anchored and fits within definitions of nationhood. This is a technical contribution in the form of a codification protocol designed to measure changes in preferences regarding the TOSS and feelings of belonging to Spain and a given region in political discourse. Both social phenomena have experienced major changes in recent years; but in order to understand how these changes have occurred and how they have been legitimised by political elites, an instrument is needed to measure these changes systematically over time. A methodological framework is presented here that has been applied to a comparative study of five different Statutes of Autonomy and the reforms that they have undergone, together with a preliminary overview of the results produced by the protocol.

Democràcies plurinacionals, federalisme i secessió. Un enfocament des de la teoria política

Revista Catalana de Dret Públic, 2017

This article deals with the suitability of the main normative political theories related to political liberalism, federalism and secession when they attempt to recognise and accommodate the national pluralism of plurinational democracies. Firstly, after considering the partial normative character of political theories, I analyse the relationship between liberal democratic theories (pragmatic, neutralists, perfectionists and value pluralists) and federal theories (monists, pluralists), pointing out a number of possibilities and shortcomings they display in contexts of national pluralism. The reasons for stressing the need for a 'Hegelian turn' in these theories is also highlighted (section 1). Secondly, after mentioning the classical institutional solutions for accommodating plurinational societies, I analyse the suitability of federalism and secession for achieving the political recognition and constitutional accommodation of national pluralism by means of a number of conclusions drawn from analyses of comparative politics in federations and secession processes (sections 2 and 3).