Francoist Spain: Organic Democracy and Post-War Repression

The Structure of the Francoist State

Organic Democracy: The Basis of the New Regime

For the construction of the new State, the basis was the Italian corporatist state, which organized popular participation according to the family, the municipality, and the union. This new system was called Organic Democracy.

Popular representation in state institutions was regulated by the Constitutive Act of the Parliament, which designated the Cortes as the "highest organ of the Spanish people's participation in the work of the State." Its representatives were appointed by the ruling power.

The Role and Limitations of the Cortes

From the Organic Law of 1966, attorneys emerged, known as the "third family," who were elected by vote by the heads of households. However, these Cortes were not democratically elected under Franco and lacked real legislative power. It served only as an advisory agency to the Head of State, as Franco controlled the legislature and held the right to veto laws.

The government's power was transmitted through the old institution of the Civil Governors (in the zoning plan). Each province was also provided with a Military Governor, demonstrating the duality of power. Another key state power was the Spanish Trade Union Organization (OSE).

Institutionalizing Post-War Repression

Accountability and Political Responsibility Laws

During the Civil War, the rebels had expressed their determination to eliminate all those who had opposed the military uprising, terming them "enemies of Spain." Thus, the rebels unleashed total violence against Republicans. The end of the conflict did not mean an end to violence; instead, repression was institutionalized.

To this end, several measures were introduced, including:

• The Law of Political Responsibilities (1939), intended for the total clearance of persons who had collaborated in one way or another with the Republic.
• The Law Suppression of Communism and Freemasonry (added the following year).

Executors of Repression and Consequences

The army was the principal executor of this policy of repression. The consequences of these implementing acts included approximately 150,000 executions for political reasons and a massive prison population of some 280,000.