Spain from Dictatorship to Democracy

Running in Place: “Czeching” out the W/E(a)stern Performative Presidential Geoprostitution

“…Rather an exception was Adam Przeworski (1991, p. 8) who argued that "Spain is a miracle … [for] the banner of the new elites and the peoples of Eastern Europe." The two omitted figures-the key negotiators of transitions with no revolutionary aspectswere ex-Franco's National Movement lawyer and minister Adolfo Suarez Gonzales, who became the first prime minister of democratized Spain (Brat & Bjork, 2014;Coverdale, 1977), and Marian Calfa, ex-communist lawyer and minister who became the first prime minister of democratized Czechoslovakia (1989Czechoslovakia ( -1992ČTK, 1988;.…”

“…Interestingly, political scientists specializing in Central Eastern Europe have largely ignored this important case. As Encarnación (2001, p. 35) put it when reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the Spanish case, “Spain’s experience is seldom invoked in debates about democratization in Eastern Europe.” Rather an exception was Adam Przeworski (1991, p. 8) who argued that “Spain is a miracle … [for] the banner of the new elites and the peoples of Eastern Europe.” The two omitted figures—the key negotiators of transitions with no revolutionary aspects—were ex-Franco’s National Movement lawyer and minister Adolfo Suarez Gonzales, who became the first prime minister of democratized Spain (Brat & Bjork, 2014; Coverdale, 1977), and Marian Calfa, ex-communist lawyer and minister who became the first prime minister of democratized Czechoslovakia (1989–1992; ČTK, 1988; 1989).…”

The European Economic Community and the End of the Franco Regime: the September 1975 Crisis

“…The magnitude of the European reaction was no doubt influenced by the widespread conviction that the Franco regime was coming to an end. 54 The combination of Prime Minister Arias' disappointing reforms, revolutionary events in Portugal and the Spanish dictator's increasingly fragile health gave Europe a more powerful reason than ever to denounce the Franco regime, in defence of the democratic principles upheld by the European Community. 55 An editorial in the Economist 56 entitled "Spain, the last corrida" gives an accurate description of the atmosphere at the time: "Franco's regime may go on agonizing for months, but its current behaviour is more like that of a bull condemned to die".…”