Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for History

Political and Economic Developments of the Franco Regime

1. The Postwar Period (1939-1950)

• a) World War II (1939-1945)
  • Foreign policy: (1939-1941) neutrality, (1941-1943) non-belligerence, sympathy towards the Axis, Blue Division, (1943-1945) neutrality.
  • Autarky (self-sufficiency), hunger.
  • Institutionalization of the Spanish courts law regime (1942), jurisdiction of the Spanish (1945).
• b) International Isolation (1945-1950)
  • Political: Withdrawal of ambassadors from Spain, Spain did not join the UN.
  • Economy: No commercial relationships with Spain, hunger.
  • Franco presents international isolation as a Judeo-Masonic conspiracy against Spain.
  • Institutionalization of the regime: The National Referendum Act (1945), Law of Succession (1947).

2. The Cold War and

Paris Peace Conference

In January 1918, U.S. President Wilson stated in the U.S. Congress his Fourteen Points, which he believed should govern a just and lasting peace. Its objectives were:

• Abolition of secret diplomacy.
• Freedom of navigation and international trade.
• Breakup of old empires.
• Creation of a Society of Nations.

But these principles were not fully respected, as the European Allies were more concerned with defending their own interests.

The Paris Peace Conference (1919-1920) produced five treaties stipulating the conditions of peace and new boundaries between the victors and the vanquished.

The Post-War Treaties

• Treaty of Versailles

  Signed on 28 June 1919 between the Allies and Germany. Germany's empire was split in two by the Polish Corridor.

The Cold War Era: Origins, Ideologies, and Global Impact

1. Reshaping the Post-World War II World

1.1 Peace Conferences and New Divisions

• Yalta Conference: Key decisions included the division of Germany into four occupation zones and the establishment of an organization to substitute the League of Nations, which would become the United Nations.
• Potsdam Conference: Marked a significant breakdown in collaboration between the Allied powers, particularly between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies.

1.2 Shifting Global Power Dynamics

With the decline of Germany and Japan as major powers, global influence became primarily divided between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the United States of America (USA).

1.3 The United Nations (UN)

The General Strike: A Tool for Change

The General Strike was threatened as a necessary measure if the situation for workers did not improve. It acted as a powerful weapon because it prevented the bourgeoisie from profiting from the exploitation of the labor movement when workers refused to work.

The 'measures deemed appropriate' alluded to actions such as:

• Derailing trains and trams
• Threatening owners of stores that remained open during the strike (scabs)
• Picketing (where subversive groups sometimes used violence against scabs)
• Proclaiming an indefinite strike

An example involved women carrying republican flags who forced shops to close.

Historical Context: Seeds of Unrest

This societal struggle had been ongoing for a long time. Consider the Revolutionary

Traits of Fascism

Fascism emerged in Italy after the First World War and became the most prominent ideology in the interwar period. The anti-parliamentary and anti-fascist stance became the main dividing line between political parties and citizens. Key doctrinal principles that characterize fascism include:

Radical Nationalism

Fascism often embodies the nationalism of peoples defeated in a contest or defrauded for not achieving what they consider a right. This radical nationalism easily transitions into imperialism, land claims, and an aggressive, militaristic, and anti-liberal policy.

Anti-Parliamentarianism

Fascism encourages the submission of the individual and the denial of personal freedoms. Individuals are subordinate to the dictatorial state,... Continue reading "Understanding Fascism: Key Traits, Rise of Mussolini, and Italy After WWI" »

Primo de Rivera's Dictatorship

• In the first phase of the dictatorship (1923-1925), the government was in the hands of a military directory. This directory suspended the constitution of 1876, dissolved the Cortes, forbade political parties, repressed the labor movement and nationalism, and defeated the Rif rebellion after the Alhucemas landing.
• In the second phase (1925-1930), Primo de Rivera formed a Civil Directory. This government promoted irrigated agriculture and industry and boosted the construction of roads and the improvement of railways. However, facing the repercussions of the 1929 crisis, rising unemployment, the labor movement, the revival of nationalism, and opposition from intellectuals, Primo de Rivera resigned in 1930.

An attempt... Continue reading "Spain: Dictatorship, Republic, and Civil War" »

The Final Crisis of the Restoration: The Impact of the First World War and the Exhaustion of the Political System

During the last years of the reign of Alfonso XIII, the political and social bases of the Restoration weakened. The deterioration of the political system became more evident. A crisis erupted in 1917. The military, political, and social crisis was controlled by the government, but in the following years, its decomposition was evident, ultimately leading to the 1923 military coup of Primo de Rivera. Before the crisis of 1914, it's important to recall the Crisis of '98 and the Tragic Week in Barcelona in 1909, which also influenced the 1917 crisis.

The Crisis of 1917

The crisis of 1917 was due to the deterioration of political life and... Continue reading "Spain's Restoration Crisis: WWI & Political System Collapse" »

The Roaring Twenties

After World War I, the United States and Europe experienced economic growth. New York became the world's financial center. From 1923, increased production reduced unemployment and improved living standards. However, this period of expansion ended abruptly in 1929.

The 1929 Crash

The U.S. economy faced excessive credit dependence. Companies and consumers were encouraged to take loans, fueling production and stock market investments. The initial stock market downturns caused panic among investors, culminating in Black Thursday on October 24, 1929. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) collapsed, preventing shareholders from repaying loans and triggering a series of bank failures. Many people were financially ruined. The United... Continue reading "Interwar Period: Economic Crisis, Fascism, and Spanish Civil War" »

Franco's Economic Policy: Autarky and Liberalization

The Axes of Autarky

The Franco regime implemented an economic policy of autarky. This policy aimed for a state to be considered politically and militarily strong, and thus had to be economically self-sufficient. At the conclusion of military hostilities, the Spanish economy was profoundly disjointed. Agricultural and industrial production was much lower than in 1935, gold and currency reserves were depleted, and the transport network was severely damaged. The regime sought to achieve economic self-isolation from the outside world and replace the liberal economic system with an interventionist state policy, taking charge of industrializing the country. Autarky had three main areas:

• The first

Decline of the Spanish Empire

During the reign of Fernando VII, the Spanish Empire lost most of its mainland American colonies. Only Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippine Islands remained under Spanish sovereignty.

Colonial Administration Challenges

Colonial problems severely strained the administration. Rulers had to contend with Cuba's long war (1868-1878).

Cuba's Struggle for Independence

Cuba was closely linked to the U.S. economy and desired similar economic and democratic development. The U.S. even expressed interest in buying the island.

Parallel rebellions occurred in Cuba. The last, led by Céspedes, began with the "Cry of Yara," a village where the Ten Years' War started, lasting until 1878.

Furthermore, problems within the Spanish government... Continue reading "Spain's Last Colonies: Cuba, PR, Philippines" »