Francoist Regime in Spain: Characteristics, Pillars, and Repression
Francoist Regime: Characteristics and System Rules
Foundations of Francoism:
Once the Civil War ended in April 1939, the victors, led by Francisco Franco, established a regime with the following features:- There was no Constitution, but a scattered set of Fundamental Laws.
- There was a single union, the Organización Sindical.
- There was a single party, the Falange Movement.
- Franco controlled all national powers.
Pillars of the Regime
Franco based his political regime on three main pillars:- The Church: In exchange for its support, the Church became the main ideological foundation of the Francoist regime, influencing the education system. Catholicism was imposed as the only official religion.
- The Falange: The single party that gradually lost power over time.
- The Army: The backbone of the regime; the power of the Generalissimo was never questioned.
Social Supports
In addition, important social sectors supported the regime, such as:
- Large landowners
- High industrial and financial bourgeoisie
- Petty bourgeoisie
- Provincial Catholic peasantry from the north and center of the country
Francoism in Catalonia
Francoism in Catalonia was supported by industrial and large commercial farm owners. The political staff who obtained important positions were loyal to the regime, including former Falangists and a large part of former extreme-right militants. Conservative political forces like the Lliga Catalana and other politicians obtained secondary positions within the regime's structure.
The Different Families of the Regime
The regime comprised various ideological "families," including:
- Falangists
- Carlists
- Ultracatholics
- Alfonsine monarchists
Instruments of Repression
To consolidate the new order, Franco systematically sought to destroy all those who opposed the regime. For this purpose, repression was institutionalized through specific laws and agencies. The first repressive law was the General Law of Political Responsibilities, which governed the treatment of individuals who had collaborated in any way with the Republic. Another key law was the Law for the Repression of Communism and Freemasonry. The army was the main executing arm of this repressive policy. Therefore, in the early years after the war, most cases were tried by military tribunals.
Confiscation of Assets and Purges
Repressive measures were accompanied by a comprehensive process of confiscating the wealth of the vanquished. On one hand, the assets of exiles and Republican politicians, from all parties, unions, associations, and entities linked to the Republic, were confiscated. In Catalonia, sanctions and the confiscation of property affected many people. Francoism also expelled from the workplace anyone who had supported the Republican cause. A purge of public officials was carried out, and general pressure was exerted to extend this into the private sector.
Franco's Policy Towards Nationalities and Culture
The Francoist regime viewed distinct identities in Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Galicia with suspicion, because the identity sentiments of these territories violated the principle of Spanish unity. They prohibited and persecuted linguistic and cultural manifestations that did not align with Castilian (Spanish) nationalist ideals. The Franco regime abolished the Statute of Autonomy and imposed centralist uniformity. It sought to forge a new "Spanish identity" that aimed to permanently suppress Catalan identity. This attempt to suppress Catalan identity had a profound impact in the cultural field, leading to what can be described as a true cultural genocide.