Spain's Political System

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Spain was in a crisis of constant political instability during the years of 1923-1931. This was due to the interfering of political elections and politics by the current King, Alfonso who favored the rotation of governments. The government was divided between the ideologies of conservative and liberal, a total of 33 different governments were formed during the course of 1902-1923 (Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Alfonso XIII.” Britannica.com.). From 1923, by creating a military dictatorship General Primo de Rivera assisted Alfonso XIII in maintaining order over the monarchy in Spain. Though ephemeral, Rivera fell from power and influence in 1930 and Alfonso was under the pressure of a collapsing economy, popular rejection, and revolts …show more content…
For he wanted nothing more than to maintain power to keep the forces of “Anti-Spain” from ascending (U.S. Library of Congress. “The Franco Years: Franco’s Political System.” Countrystudies.us.). The Labor Charter was enacted in 1938, this law stated that all Spaniards had the obligation to work and the state was to provide and assure them with employment. Workers could benefit from this law by receiving fair salaries/wages, paid vacations, and a limit to working hours (U.S. Library of Congress. “The Franco Years: Franco’s Political System.” Countrystudies.us.). It was all around policy that was social, economic, and political. He used this to his advantage by appealing to labor workers, to encourage them to provide for their country with awards of “adequate wages” and by decreeing that strikes were treason against the state (U.S. Library of Congress. “The Franco Years: Franco’s Political System.” Countrystudies.us.). Passed in 1942 was the Constituent Law of the Cortes in which it revoked the power of the Spanish Parliament and their right to interfere with politics in initiating legislation, and voting against the government. The law restricted the Spanish Parliament and only gave them the power to approve of laws already presented by the executive branch. This was a political policy and ploy in order …show more content…
It was obvious that they could not afford to fight another war. Though Franco was grateful to Germany and Italy for their assistance in the overthrow of the Republican government in Spain, he declared neutrality in the start of WWII. It was clear that he favored the Axis Powers more, and in 1939 before the start of WWII Franco had already joined the Anti-Comintern Pact and secretly signed a treaty of friendly relations with Germany (U.S. Library of Congress. “Foreign Policy under Franco.” Countrystudies.com.). When Germany showed its imperial power in 1940, Franco sided with Germany and adopted a policy of non belligerency, where Spain allowed German submarines to travel through its ports and sent 50,000 volunteers to participate in the war with the Germans against the Soviet Union front (History.com Staff. “Francisco Franco.” History.com.). After the flow of WWII shifted towards the Allies, Franco again switched sides and declared neutrality in 1943. Suspicious and suspecting a presentiment, the Allies did not pay attention towards Spain’s neutrality and the newly established United Nations excluded Spain. May of 1944 was when the Allies and Spain came to an agreement, Spain was to cease wolfram shipments to Germany, close the German building in the invaded city of Tangier in Morocco, and to suspend German espionage agents. In return, Spain was to receive petroleum and other essential resources from the

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