Historical Dictionary of Spain (Volume 65) (Historical Dictionaries of Europe (65))

For years Spain was under a dictatorship until democracy was recovered in 1978 under the form of a constitutional monarchy. In 1986 it joined the European Union and has experienced an economic and cultural renaissance. Today, Spain has the seventh largest economy in the world. The second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Spain is an unrivalled reference guide to Spanish history and politics from the Middle Ages to the present. With its chronology, introductory essay, and over seven hundred dictionary entries on major Spanish organizations, including political parties, trade unions, and state bodies; the various regions and languages which comprise Spain, including Catalonia and the Basque Country; and major figures in Spanish culture and the arts, the Historical Dictionary of Spain allows readers to easily follow the major changes Spain has undergone "Over the last two centuries, Spain has played an important role in Western Europe. Spanish soldiers and guerrillas helped inflict the first major defeat on Napoleon, which became a symbol of the struggle against fascism during Spain's bloody civil war (1936-1939). Recently, the country underwent a peaceful transition from military dictatorship to parliamentary democracy and has become a partner within both NATO and the European Union. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Spain details these events and examines the country's painful adjustment to modernity. It provides a comprehensive guide to the economic, social, and political history of Spain beginning with Napoleon's invasion in 1808"--Jacket