The Cultural Dynamics of Democratization in Spain

Since the death of Franco in 1975, Spain has made a successful transition to democracy. This book looks at what that transition has meant for the Spanish people. Drawing on national surveys taken in 1978, 1980, 1984, and 1990, the authors explore three questions: What is the basis of the new regime's political legitimacy? How did Spanish democracy move from the conservative center-right coalition that engineered the transition to the socialist government that consolidated it? And why is political participation so low among Spaniards? The answers to the first two questions highlight the ambiguity built into the political contrast with the Franco regime and a certain appreciation of the material accomplishments of authoritarianism, the pivotal role of the king in opting for democracy while symbolically spanning traditional and modernizing forces, and finally a movement from foundational issues to economic and social concerns. In response to the third question, the authors illuminate the participatory shortfall in Spanish politics by comparing Spain with Brazil and Korea, two post-authoritarian societies where political involvement is much higher. They consider long-term structural factors as well as short-term strategic actions that have contributed to low civic engagement.

About the Author :
Peter McDonough is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Arizona State University. He is the coauthor of Passionate Uncertainty: Inside the American Jesuits. Samuel H. Barnes is Professor of Government and Director of the Center for German and West European Studies at Georgetown University. Antonio López-Pina is Chair Jean Monnet of European Legal Culture and Chair of Constitutional Law at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid.

Review :
In analyzing the journey made by the Spanish people on their transition to and consolidation of democracy, the authors have brought to the fore many social and cultural influences on the processes of democratization and politics. (British Bulletin of Publications on Latin Americathe Caribbean, Portugal and Spain) This book makes a very important contribution to our integrated understanding of democratic processes—not only how successful the establishment of democracy is, but also how it affects the citizenry. - Cristina Leston-Bandeira (South European Society and Politics) McDonough, Barnes, and López Pina have long set the standard for quality research on Spanish public opinion. This fascinating work is currently the best single book on Spanish public opinion, and it breaks new ground in many areas.... In carefully advancing their path-breaking interpretation of Spanish political culture and political behavior, McDonough et al. provide a model of how to use opinion research to conduct rich and meaningful comparative political analysis. - Donald Share (American Political Science Review) This book... will probably stand as the definitive portrait of mass political attitudes and behavior during a critical period.... Providing nuanced historical context, pertinent comparisons, and exhaustive multivariate analyses of an enormous data set, this book is an indispensable addition to the literature on Spanish democracy. Highly recommended. (Choice) This book is particularly useful in that it provides an English-speaking public with a way into the long-running debate on mass opinions and values in the young Spanish democracy. - Jonathan Hopkin (Political Studies)