Franco's Spain: Economy, Foreign Policy, and Repression (1939-1953)

Autarky in Francoist Spain (1939-1951)

The period of autarky (1939-1951) was marked by a severe economic crisis and a low standard of living, which did not recover until 1956. Food rationing was common, with citizens relying on ration booklets.

Causes and Consequences of Autarky

The effects of the Civil War were devastating, including destroyed infrastructure and an estimated 300,000 young deaths. The regime pursued economic nationalism (autarky), aiming for self-sufficiency by relying solely on domestic resources. This involved minimal foreign trade and strict state intervention in wages, prices, and production. The state often purchased food from farmers, but farmers frequently withheld produce to sell it on the more lucrative black market. Key problems during autarky included the widespread black market (known as 'estraperlo') and a severe lack of productivity due to the scarcity of essential products like raw materials and machinery.

Franco's Foreign Policy: Four Stages

1. Alignment with Axis Powers (1939-1942)

This period saw Spain's alignment with the Axis powers (Mussolini-Hitler pact), reflecting the regime's fascist leanings. Despite official non-belligerence, Spain sent volunteers, the Blue Division, to aid Hitler in 1941, primarily composed of Falangists.

2. Progressive Disassociation from Axis (1943-1945)

As the tide of World War II turned, Franco's regime began sending secret messages to the Allies (France and Great Britain) to disassociate from the Axis. A key symptom of this shift was the dismissal of the pro-Axis Foreign Minister Serrano Suñer and the return of the Blue Division.

3. International Isolation (1945-1952)

Following World War II, Franco's regime faced diplomatic and economic isolation by the United Nations. Resistance fighters, primarily communists and anarchists, launched armed attacks, notably conquering the Aran Valley for several weeks in 1944. In 1947, Spain was notably excluded from the U.S. Marshall Plan, which provided aid to European countries.

4. Normalization with the Capitalist Bloc (1953)

In 1953, Spain achieved normalization of relations with the capitalist bloc, primarily through a pact with the United States. This agreement provided aid to Spain in exchange for the establishment of four U.S. military bases on Spanish soil. In 1955, Spain entered the UN.

The Francoist Dictatorship: Ideology and Features

The Francoist dictatorship (1939-1951) originated from the Nationalist victory in the Civil War. Franco's power was consolidated through an iron-fisted dictatorship, partly justified by the perceived 'revolutionary excesses,' 'disorder,' and 'disunity' of the Republican side. His regime also benefited from pragmatism and adaptability, securing the support of various factions.

Characteristics of the Francoist System

• The system was based on two main ideologies: National Syndicalism and National Catholicism.
• Authoritarianism was central, with the Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las JONS (FET y de las JONS) as the sole legal party.
• A single, vertical union was established to prevent class struggle, and strikes were strictly forbidden. Workers had limited rights.
• The military and the Catholic Church played crucial roles. Censorship was pervasive, with all publications and media subject to prior approval.
• Spanish centralism and patriotism were promoted, alongside a strict traditional Catholic morality.

Fundamental Laws of the Regime

Instead of a new constitution, several Fundamental Laws were enacted to structure the regime and fill legal gaps. These included:

• Labor Charter (Fuero del Trabajo, 1938): Abolished strikes and independent unions, establishing the Vertical Union.
• Law of the Cortes (1942): Established a pseudo-parliamentary body whose members were part of the National Movement.
• Charter of the Spanish People (Fuero de los Españoles, 1945): Defined a limited set of rights and duties for citizens.
• Law of Succession to the Head of State (1947): Defined Spain as a monarchy without a king, allowing Franco to name his successor.
• Law of the Principles of the National Movement (1958): Codified the ideological tenets of the regime.
• Organic Law of the State (1966): Further structured the state and its institutions, forming part of the 'Organic Democracy.'

Repression and Social Control

While repression occurred on both sides during the Civil War, Franco's regime continued its severe crackdown after the war, from 1939 to 1945 and beyond. Estimates suggest approximately 30,000 executions by the Francoist side, with many more imprisoned for years and subjected to forced labor. Prisoners were held in detention or labor camps, where they were classified for imprisonment or 're-education' (self-punishment). The regime instilled fear, and the police classified individuals based on their attitude: adherents to the regime, indifferent, or hostile. After 1945, with widespread fear already instilled, the number of executions decreased, and the death penalty was applied less frequently. There was strict censorship across all aspects of public life, including politics, newspapers, and magazines. Catalan language and culture were severely persecuted. Catalan was largely confined to private homes, with public life conducted entirely in Spanish. From the 1960s onwards, as the dictatorship's repression eased, there was a gradual resurgence of Catalan books, magazines, and music.