Spain's Economic and Social Transformation in the 1960s

The Stabilization Plan and Economic Reorientation

Following integration into international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Spain faced the need for economic reorientation. A Decree-Law enacted a new economic order known as the Stabilization Plan. This plan had two primary objectives: balanced economic development and the integration of the Spanish economy into the Western world. It emphasized demand management, price stabilization, and the liberalization of foreign trade and foreign capital imports.

The Stabilization Plan set the stage for the growth of the Spanish economy in the 1960s. Its effects were positive, including reduced domestic demand and inflation, price stability, and restructuring of the external sector. However, these changes also led to an increase in unemployment, resulting in emigration. The arrival of foreign capital, abundant labor, and the effect of the European Boom contributed to the growth of the Spanish economy. One of the first manifestations of this change was the crisis of traditional agriculture. The industry also experienced significant growth with the creation of development plans, but this did not reduce social or inter-regional imbalances. Furthermore, the majority of large companies that were created were foreign firms.

Institutional Policy: A Changing Image

The Francoist state established what it called "organic democracy," based on the union, the municipality, and the family. In 1963, Communist leader Julián Grimau was arrested and executed, and the Court of Public Order was created to try crimes of a political nature, often with considerable arbitrariness. During the 1960s, some political openings occurred, with independent technocrats from Opus Dei gaining influence. In 1966, a Press Law was passed, led by Manuel Fraga, and the following year, the Organic Law of the State was enacted. These were responses to the country's modernization and the desire for entry into the EEC (Treaty of Rome, 1957). In 1969, the Cortes accepted Juan Carlos de Borbón as Franco's successor. This aimed to provide continuity to the system, reinforcing Franco's power for life. It was not a restoration but rather a continuation of the existing system based on the principles of the Movement.

A Changing Society

Tourism significantly influenced Spanish society, bringing new customs and fashions while transforming the coastal landscape. Franco had to divide the country into leisure areas (coastal) and work areas (central areas of the peninsula). The media, including television, experienced dramatic expansion, bringing programs, images, and music from across the country, not without protests from the most fundamentalist (conservative) sectors. The cinema of that decade also evolved, moving towards a consumer-oriented social welfare model. Spanish emigrants also contributed to this social shift. Additionally, Spaniards began to travel abroad more frequently, either for study or vacation.

Secularization and Social Change

Spanish society was undergoing a process of secularization. The Spanish Church also showed signs of change, distancing itself from government protection and showing support for workers and certain social demands. However, it maintained hostility towards issues such as divorce and freedom of religion. Overall, Spanish society took a giant leap in its progress towards an urban and consumer-driven model. This coincided with the rise of an industrial and financial bourgeoisie, an increase in the middle class, and the industrial proletariat surpassing the agricultural workforce in numbers.