Spain : The Trials and Triumphs of a Modern European Country

An incisive account of modern Spain, from the death of Franco to the Catalan referendum and beyond “Comprehensive and engaging.”—Gideon Rachman, Financial Times Spain’s transition to democracy after Franco’s long dictatorship was widely hailed as a success, ushering in three decades of unprecedented progress and prosperity. Yet over the past decade its political consensus has been under severe strain. A stable two-party system has splintered, with disruptive new parties on the far left and far right. No government has had a majority since 2015. Michael Reid overturns the stereotypical view of Spain as a country haunted by its Francoist past. From Catalan separatism and the indignados movement to the Spanish economy’s overdependence on tourism and small business, Spain’s challenges can often seem unique. But Reid is careful to emphasize the many pressures it faces in common with its European neighbors—such as austerity, populism, and increasing polarization. The result is a penetrating yet rounded portrait of a vibrant country—one that is more often visited than understood. La transición de España a la democracia tras la larga dictadura franquista fue ampliamente aclamada como un éxito, dando paso a tres décadas de progreso y prosperidad sin precedentes. Sin embargo, en la última década el consenso político ha sufrido graves tensiones. Un sistema bipartidista estable se ha fragmentado, con nuevos partidos disruptivos de extrema izquierda y extrema derecha. Ningún gobierno ha tenido mayoría desde 2015. Michael Reid da un vuelco a la visión estereotipada de España como un país atormentado por su pasado franquista. Desde el separatismo catalán y el movimiento de los indignados hasta la excesiva dependencia de la economía española del turismo y las pequeñas empresas, los retos de España a menudo pueden parecer únicos. Pero Reid se preocupa de subrayar las muchas presiones a las que se enfrenta en común con sus vecinos europeos, como la austeridad, el populismo y la creciente polarización. El resultado es un retrato penetrante y redondo de un país vibrante, más visitado que comprendido "Spain's transition to democracy after Franco's long dictatorship was widely hailed as a success, ushering in three decades of unprecedented progress and prosperity. Yet over the past decade its political consensus has been under severe strain. A stable two-party system has splintered, with disruptive new parties on the far left and far right. No government has had a majority since 2015. Michael Reid overturns the stereotypical view of Spain as a country haunted by its Francoist past. From Catalan separatism and the indignados movement to the Spanish economy's overdependence on tourism and small business, Spain's challenges can often seem unique. But Reid is careful to emphasize the many pressures it faces in common with its European neighbors--such as austerity, populism, and increasing polarization. The result is a penetrating yet rounded portrait of a vibrant country--one that is more often visited than understood"-- Publisher's description CONTENTS 7 List of illustrations and maps 8 Glossary and abbreviations 11 Acknowledgements 15 Prologue: The Spanish mirror 19 1 The unravelling 30 2 A Catalan autumn 59 3 The invention of Catalonia 76 4 Why Spain is not France 109 5 Let’s talk about Franco 135 6 The Basque paradox and galeguismo 168 7 The fading of the Spanish dream 191 8 Scandinavia in the sun? 219 9 ‘The caste’ and its fl awed challengers 246 10 The narcissism of small differences 278 Notes 293 Bibliography 306 Index 309