DOCSLIB.ORG

The Spanish Model

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Spanish Model New Left Review - Isidro López et al: The Spanis... http://www.newleftreview.org/?view=2895 New Left Review 69, May-June 2011 ISIDRO LÓPEZ & EMMANUEL RODRÍGUEZ THE SPANISH MODEL Prior to the debacle of 200 , !"ain#$ econo%y had been an ob&ect of "articular ad%iration for We$tern co%%entator$( )1* +o re"roduce the colourful %eta"hor$ of the financial "re$$, in the 1990$ and early 2000$ the !"ani$h bull "erfor%ed %uch better than the %o"in, lion$ of -.ld /uro"e#( 0n the decade followin, 1991, 2 %illion &ob$ were created and the econo%y grew at a rate of nearly 3 "er cent4 between 1991 and 2002, the no%inal wealth of hou$ehold$ increa$ed threefold( !"ain#$ hi$toric $"eciali5ation in $ector$ $uch a$ touri$% and "ro"erty develo"%ent $ee%ed "erfectly $uited to the age of ,lobali5ation, which in turn $ee%ed to $%ile on the country. 6on$truction boo%ed a$ hou$e "rice$ $oared, ri$in, by 220 "er cent between 1992 and 2002, while the hou$in, $toc7 e8"anded by 90 "er cent, or 2 %illion unit$( All feelin, of bein, %erely the bi,ge$t country of the continent#$ "eri"hery wa$ di$"elled by a new i%a,e of %odernity, which did not &u$t catch u" with but in $o%e ways $ur"a$$ed $tandard /uro"ean e8"ectation$;at lea$t when !"ain#$ dyna%i$% wa$ co%"ared to the -ri,iditie$# of the /uro5one#$ core( Add to thi$ the 2003 return to "ower of the !ociali$t Party, under a youthful Jo$< Lui$ Rodr=gue5 Za"atero, and the effect of $uch ?uinte$$entially -%oderni5in,# law$ a$ tho$e on $a%e-se8 %arriage, and the %i8ture acquired the bou?uet of a young red wine@ e8tre%ely robu$t on the "alate( 0n $tar7 contra$t, the financial cri$i$ ha$ given the country a co%"letely different i%a,e of it$elf, with effect$ on /uro"e that re%ain to be calculated( .ver the "a$t year, !"ain ha$ on $everal occa$ion$ hovered on the brin7 of cla$$ification a$ a ca$e for /uro5one bail-out, followin, Areece, 0reland and Portugal( 0t$ con$truction indu$try, which in 2002 contributed nearly a tenth of the country#$ ,d", ha$ $uffered a %a$$ive blow-out, leavin, an over-build of un$old hou$in, wor$e than 0reland#$, and the $e%i-public $avin,$-and-loan$ $ector waterlo,ged with debt( +he effect$ of the hou$ing-market colla"$e have reverberated throughout the econo%y@ une%"loyment i$ runnin, at over 20 "er cent, and %ore than double that rate a%on, the under-21$( : dee" rece$$ion ha$ been co%"ounded by draconian au$terity %ea$ure$, $u""o$edly ai%ed at reducin, a deficit currently $tandin, at over 10 "er cent of gd" to 9 "er cent by 2019( +he "olitical fall-out of the cri$i$ i$ "uttin, additional $train on !"ain#$ decentrali5ed govern%ental $tructure$, in which the $eventeen Autono%ou$ 6o%%unitie$ ad%ini$ter a large "ro"ortion of "ublic $"endin,4 in 6atalonia and el$ewhere, the ac budget$ are al$o runnin, deficit$( +he !"ani$h bull#$ "ro$tration al$o carrie$ i%"lication$ for the /uro5one a$ a whole( At over 31 %illion, the "o"ulation of !"ain i$ al%o$t twice a$ large a$ tho$e of Areece, 0reland and Portugal "ut together4 it$ econo%y i$ the fourth lar,e$t in the /uro5one, with a gd" of B1,309bn, co%"ared to B901bn for Areece, B203bn for 0reland and B229bn for Portu,al( +he $cale of a !"ani$h bail-out, were Madrid to run into difficulty in financing it$ debt$, would be li7ely to ca"$i5e the /uro5one#$ current tactic$ for dealin, with it$ indebted peri"hery—heavily conditional i%fCecb loan$, so far made available to Greece, Ireland and Portugal with the ai% of -tidin, the% over#, while $afe,uardin, the e8"o$ed "o$ition$ of bi, Aer%an, French and Eriti$h ban7$( !o far, the wager ha$ been that, after a do$e of au$terity and labour-market refor%, !"ain#$ "re-cri$i$ econo%ic %odel can be re$u$citated in leaner, fitter for%( 0$ thi$ a viable "ro"o$itionF Phalangist architects +he genealogy of the !"ani$h %acro-econo%ic %odel ha$ been co%"le84 one %i,ht even $ay, ironic( 0t$ origin$ lie in the %oderni5ation "ro,ra%%e of the Franco dictator$hi" fro% the late 1910$, "re%i$ed on the develo"%ent of %a$$-market touri$% fro% northern /uro"e and the radical e8"an$ion of "rivate ho%e-owner$hi"( +hi$ -$olution# to !"ani$h indu$try’$ eternal co%"etitive wea7ne$$ wa$ a notable ano%aly in the conte8t of the %anufacturin, ,rowth that %arked the "o$t-war boo% el$ewhere in /uro"e( Eut a$ Dranco#$ Mini$ter for Gou$ing, the Phalangi$t Jo$< Lui$ :rre$e, "ut it in 1912@ Queremos un país de propietarios, no de proletarios;-we want a country of "ro"rietor$, not "roletarian$#( +hi$ +hatcheri$% avant la lettre 1 de 15 11/11/11 09:01 New Left Review - Isidro López et al: The Spanis... http://www.newleftreview.org/?view=2895 tran$for%ed the !"ani$h hou$in, %ar7et@ durin, the 1910$, rented acco%%odation wa$ $till the nor%4 by 1920, "rivate owner$hi" accounted for over 60 "er cent of hou$in,, 10 "oint$ above the u7 level H$ee Fi,ure 1I( +he le,acy of the Dranco dictator$hi" and the enor%ou$ $hortco%in, of the country’$ indu$trial $tructure did not au,ur well in a $cenario characteri5ed by increa$ing co%"etition in international %ar7et$( +he rece$$ionary cri$i$ beginnin, in 1929 wa$ %ore $evere in !"ain than in %o$t /uro"ean countrie$, overla""in, with the "olitical tran$ition that followed Franco#$ death in 1921( Eut the advent of "arlia%entary de%ocracy brou,ht no chan,e in %acro-econo%ic "olicy. +he Partido !ociali$ta .brero /$"aJol H"$oeI, in "ower continuou$ly under Feli"e Aon5Kle5 fro% 19 2C96, had no alternative %odel to "ro"o$e( 0ndeed, the $trategy for relaunchin, the econo%y in the 19 0$ wa$ ba$ed on dee"enin, !"ain#$ e8i$tin, -$"eciali5ation$# in touri$%, "ro"erty develo"%ent and con$truction, a$ -co%"etitive advanta,e$# neatly ada"ted to the new a""roache$ of the e%erging ,lobal econo%y, i(e( hi,h ca"ital %obility and growin, co%"etition to ca"ture financial inco%e$( +hi$ a""roach wa$ effectively $anctioned by the other /uro"ean "ower$ in the negotiation$ that "receded !"ain#$ acce$$ion to the eec. In the$e pact$, which effectively con$tituted a strategic agenda for the country, the Gon5Kle5 govern%ent acce"ted it$ "artial de-indu$triali5ation in e8change for e8tre%ely generou$ $ub$idie$, which would account for an annual average of 1 "er cent of !"ain#$ gd" between 19 6 and 2003( :$ we $hall $ee, the$e fund$ would "lay a 7ey role in buildin, the infra$tructure—tran$"ort, energy, etc(—underlyin, the later con$truction boo%, which con$u%ed %ore than half the total $ub$idie$( +he run-u" to inte,ration into the /uro"ean 6o%%unity on 1 January 19 6 $aw a fren5y of inve$t%ent, a$ /uro"ean ca"ital reco,ni5ed the %ar7et o""ortunity o"ened up by the 0berian countrie$# entry into the eec. Aer%an, French and 0talian %ultinational$ took u" key "o$ition$ within !"ain#$ "roduction $tructure, buying u" %o$t of the bi, food-indu$try co%"anie$ and the "ublic-$ector fir%$ that were bein, "rivati5ed, takin, over %uch of the $u"er%arket $ector and ac?uirin, what re%ained of the %a&or indu$trial co%"anie$( .nly the ban7$, con$truction fir%$ and the $tate-owned electricity and teleco%%unication$ %ono"olie$ re%ained i%%une to the buyin, fren5y for !"ani$h a$$et$( +he u"$hot of thi$ wave of inve$t%ent—which brought the fir$t "eriod of $u$tained growth $ince 1929;wa$ a ra"id 2 de 15 11/11/11 09:01 New Left Review - Isidro López et al: The Spanis... http://www.newleftreview.org/?view=2895 overheatin, of the %arket$( +he Madrid !tock /8chan,e $aw increa$e$ of 200 "er cent between 19 6 and 19 9, while the ca"ital#$ "ro"erty %arket beca%e one of the %o$t "rofitable on the "lanet( 0n "arallel with Reagani$% in the u$ and +hatcheri$% in Eritain, the econo%ic cycle in !"ain under Aon5Kle5 fro% 19 1 to 1991 wa$ the fir$t atte%"t in continental /uro"e at growth by %ean$ of a financial and "ro"erty a$$et-"rice bubble that would have a "o$itive knock-on effect on do%e$tic con$u%"tion and de%and without any $i,nificant $u""ort fro% indu$trial e8"an$ion( )2* +he eu"horia did not la$t lon,, however4 the ,rowin, e8ternal deficit and the lac7 of a $olid foundation for growth ended u" unlea$hin, $"eculative attacks again$t the !"ani$h "e$eta, who$e value the govern%ent wa$ "ledged to %aintain at any co$t( : %a$$ive "ublicity ca%"ai,n around the "o%" and cere%ony of the Earcelona .ly%"ic Aa%e$ and the !eville Univer$al /8hibition in 1992 "roved unable to "revent the cra$h of the %arket$—followed, eventually, by a $erie$ of a,,re$$ive currency devaluation$( Ey the early 1990$, the !"ani$h econo%y wa$ once a,ain faced with the "roble% of findin, a "ath to growth( Euro-boost Genceforward, however, !"ani$h %acro-econo%ic "olicy would be increa$ingly deter%ined at /uro"ean level, $tructured within the fra%ewor7 of the convergence criteria $et for %onetary union and the neoliberal do8a con$olidated in the Maa$tricht +reaty and it$ $ucce$$or$, to which both "$oe and "" govern%ent$ gave their full $u""ort( +he reduction of "ublic $"endin,, inflation-targetin, and the deregulation of labour %ar7et$ laid down by Maa$tricht enabled a recovery of financial "rofit$, but ,enerated new "roble%$ of $ti%ulatin, de%and in /uro"e#$ rather $lac7 econo%ie$( +he "ace of the !"ani$h econo%y#$ "o$t-91 recovery—acceleratin, fro% 1992 onward$ to ,row by an avera,e 1 "er cent "er year between 199 and 2000—cannot be e8"lained, therefore, by the local i%"le%entation of neoliberal "re$cri"tion$( 0t lay rather in the ca"acity of the new round$ of "ro"erty develo"%ent and financial en,ineerin, to re$olve, if only te%"orarily, a nu%ber of contradiction$ inherent in the chaotic articulation of the neoliberal reci"e$ the%$elve$( Four factor$ "roved deci$ive here( Dir$t, low intere$t rate$,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Prior to the Debacle of 2008, Spain's Economy Had Been
    isidro lópez & emmanuel rodríguez THE SPANISH MODEL rior to the debacle of 2008, Spain’s economy had been an object of particular admiration for Western commentators.1 To reproduce the colourful metaphors of the financial press, in the 1990s and early 2000s the Spanish bull performed Pmuch better than the moping lions of ‘Old Europe’. In the decade fol- lowing 1995, 7 million jobs were created and the economy grew at a rate of nearly 4 per cent; between 1995 and 2007, the nominal wealth of households increased threefold. Spain’s historic specialization in sec- tors such as tourism and property development seemed perfectly suited to the age of globalization, which in turn seemed to smile on the coun- try. Construction boomed as house prices soared, rising by 220 per cent between 1997 and 2007, while the housing stock expanded by 30 per cent, or 7 million units. All feeling of being merely the biggest country of the continent’s periphery was dispelled by a new image of modernity, which did not just catch up with but in some ways surpassed standard European expectations—at least when Spain’s dynamism was compared to the ‘rigidities’ of the Eurozone’s core. Add to this the 2004 return to power of the Socialist Party, under a youthful José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and the effect of such quintessentially ‘modernizing’ laws as those on same-sex marriage, and the mixture acquired the bouquet of a young red wine: extremely robust on the palate. In stark contrast, the financial crisis has given the country a completely different image of itself, with effects on Europe that remain to be cal- culated.
    [Show full text]
  • 2 the Story of Struggle – Madrid
    The Story of 2 Struggle – Madrid The first in Europe There is archival evidence suggesting that the Hilton Hotels Corporation had been looking for a project in Europe for a while (see Exhibit 2.1). The company was, by the end of the War, strongly represented from coast to coast in the United States and could have easily been considered a leader in luxury hospitality sector there. With the opening of the Caribe Hilton, the International division of the company was initiated, and Hilton was prepared to venture out further. Strand (1996) recalls that the main Hilton International’s development goal was to operate in Europe, as this was where they saw the greatest potential in terms of both business and leisure travel. Also, it appears that it was in American foreign policy’s interest to strategically distribute American businesses’ foreign direct investment on the Old Continent. Allegedly, the Economic Cooperation Administration, a US government agency set up to administer the Marshall Plan, contacted Hilton Hotels in the early 1950s to announce that the ECA was “very anxious to increase first class accommodations in several of the capitals of Europe” 1 and, to fulfil this potential, was willing to provide both loan guarantees and capital to encourage construction. Having such an encouragement, Hilton could look for an appropriate project opportunity. What was certain, was that the hotel would need to be located in one of the capital cities and would be constructed using mainly local funding. 1 Memo from Theodore J. Pozzy, Chief, Travel Development Section, to Paul Hyde Bonner, Special Assistant to Chief, ECA Special Mission to Italy, August 30, 1950, in Duplicates of Materials Concerning Hilton Hotels Corporation’s International Development, 1950–1958.
    [Show full text]
  • La Flor Y Muerte De Un Barrio
    La Flor y Muerte de un Barrio An Ethnography on Comprehensive Gentrification and Class Struggle in Urban Majorca Marc Morell ADVERTIMENT . La consulta d’aquesta tesi queda condicionada a l’acceptació de les següents condicions d'ús: La difusió d’aquesta tesi per mitjà del servei TDX ( www.tdx.cat ) i a través del Dipòsit Digital de la UB ( diposit.ub.edu ) ha estat autoritzada pels titulars dels drets de propietat intel·lectual únicament per a usos privats emmarc ats en activitats d’investigació i docència. No s’autoritza la seva reproducció amb finalitats de lucre ni la seva difusió i posada a disposici ó des d’un lloc aliè al servei TDX ni al Dipòsit Digital de la UB . No s’autoritza la presentació del seu contingu t en una finestra o marc aliè a TDX o al Dipòsit Digital de la UB (framing). Aquesta reserva de drets afecta tant al resum de presentació de la tesi com als seus continguts. En la utilització o cita de parts de la tesi és obligat indicar el nom de la perso na autora. ADVERTENCIA . La consulta de esta tesis queda condicionada a la aceptación de las siguientes condiciones de uso: La difusión de esta tesis por medio del servicio TDR ( www.tdx.cat ) y a través del Repositorio Digital de la UB ( diposit.ub.edu ) ha sido autorizada por los titulares de los derechos de propiedad intelectual únicamente para usos privados enmarcados en actividades de investigación y docencia. No se autoriza su reproducción con finalidades de lucro ni su difusión y puesta a disposición de sde un sitio ajeno al servicio TDR o al Repositorio Digital de la UB .
    [Show full text]
  • Crisis in the Spanish Economy: the Role of the EU in Its Evolution
    Boom and (deep) crisis in the Spanish economy: the role of the EU in its evolution. Miren Etxezarreta (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) Francisco Navarro (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) Ramón Ribera (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) Victòria Soldevila (Universitat Rovira i Virgili) All members of the Seminario de Economía Crítica TAIFA Communication for 17th Workshop on Alternative Economic Policy in Europe, Vienna, September 2011 Boom and (deep) crisis in the Spanish economy The records of the Spanish economy in 2010-2011 • Unemployement: More than 4,800,000 unemployed, 21% of working population, June 2011; 46% among young workers; June 2011. 1,370,000 families with all their members unemployed • Evictions 300,000 in 2010 because of lack of mortgage or rent payment: • Black economy 17% of GDP = a fiscal fraud of 30,000 million € a year = 20 times the Government savings with the pension freeze = 4 million workers (other estimates increase the black economy to the 20-22% of GDP) • Business profits the 35 biggest enterprises of the IBEX (Stock exchange) had profits of 49.881 million € in 2010 Increase of 24.5% over 2009. Business profits increased 4.1% and wages 0.5%. Big banks had profits of 15,300 million € • Remunerations Those of the IBEX35 increased 20% on average of high directors • For instance: Telefónica has increased profits a 30,8% in 2010 to 10,167 million 6,000 workers were dismissed to keep competitiveness Source: Adapted from I. Escobar: ‘La economía bate records’. Público 3/3/11 Abstract In the last twenty years Spain has experienced a period of rapid growth followed by a very deep crisis.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Smart Power in U.S.-Spain Relations, 1969-1986
    THE ROLE OF SMART POWER IN U.S.-SPAIN RELATIONS, 1969-1986 By DAVID A. JUSTICE Bachelor of Arts in History Athens State University Athens, Alabama 2012 Master of Arts in History University of North Alabama Florence, Alabama 2014 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May, 2020 THE ROLE OF SMART POWER IN U.S.-SPAIN RELATIONS, 1969-1986 Dissertation Approved: Dr. Laura Belmonte Dissertation Adviser Dr. Douglas Miller Dr. Matthew Schauer Dr. Isabel Álvarez-Sancho ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation, this labor of love, would not be complete if it were not for a number of people. First, I would like to thank my dissertation committee of brilliant scholars. My advisor Laura Belmonte was integral in shaping this work and myself as an academic. Since my arrival at Oklahoma State, Dr. B has crafted me into the scholar that I am now. Her tireless encouragement, editing of multiple drafts, and support of this ever evolving project will always be appreciated. She also provided me with numerous laughs from the presidential pups, Willy and James. Doug Miller has championed my work since we began working together, and his candor and unconditional support was vital to finishing. Also, our discussions of Major League Baseball were much needed during coursework. Matt Schauer’s mentorship was integral to my time at Oklahoma State. The continuous laughter and support during meetings, along with discussions of classic films, were vital to my time at Oklahoma State.
    [Show full text]
  • HS 332 WAR and DICTATORSHIP in SPAIN IES Abroad Barcelona
    HS 332 WAR AND DICTATORSHIP IN SPAIN IES Abroad Barcelona DESCRIPTION: The Spanish war has probably produced a richer crop of lies than any event since the Great War. - George Orwell, 1937 There isn't any difference in totalitarian states... Nazi, Communist, Fascist, or Franco, or anything else -they are all alike... A police state is a police state. -Harry Truman, 1947 General Franco was a loyal friend and ally of the United States. He earned worldwide respect for Spain through firmness and fairness. - Richard Nixon, 1975 In this course students will explore the two most crucial, troubled and controversial periods of 20th Century Spain: the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and the subsequent Dictatorship of General Francisco Franco (1939-1975). The course is broadly divided into four sections. The first section will trace the origins of the Spanish Civil War through the first decades of the 20th Century, starting from the war between Spain and the United States (1898). The second section will analyze in detail the Civil War, with an emphasis on its international aspects. The third will study Franco’s Dictatorship and will compare it to Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy and Salazar’s Portugal. The final section will focus on the interpretations of the Civil War and the Dictatorship which are prevalent in today’s Spain. Particular attention will be paid to the following topics: - The rise of Fascism, Socialism, Communism and Anarchism in Spain during the Second Republic. - The division of Spain in two opposite sides after the military rising of 1936: the Republicans – called “Reds” by their enemies – and the Rebels or Francoists – called “Fascists” by their enemies.
    [Show full text]
  • Spanish Miracle’ That Never Was
    The ‘Spanish miracle’ that never was Luis Buendía, University of León [email protected] At the beginning of the current crisis, there was a debate in the economics profession concerning the policies that countries should adopt in order to grow again. Those debates hinged on two prominent positions. On the one hand, there were those economists who – in an apparent endorsement of Mariano Rajoy’s statement that "We have lived beyond our own means” – argued for austerity policies. This was the position of the IMF and the European Commission, which considered that only through austerity could countries in crisis recover (see, for instance, European Commission, 2011; and Weisbrot and Jorgensen, 2013, for an overview of IMF recommendations to EU countries)1. On the other hand, there were those who argued for expansive policies to enable countries under strain to re-establish economic growth. Authors including Lapavitsas and Munevar (2014) for the Greek case and Navarro, Torres and Garzón (2011) for Spain, have attempted to show the inadequacies of austerity in the crisis context. To ascertain the appropriate medicine for a sick economy we need first to correctly diagnose the sickness. This chapter will attempt to do so in six sections that follow. Section one introduces the political economy of the so-called "Spanish miracle". Section two analyses the pattern of growth followed by Spain, both from the supply-side and the demand-side. Section three focuses on the role of Spain in the European division of labour, in order to understand some of the contradictions in its economic model.
    [Show full text]
  • The Spanish Empire and Its Legacy: Fiscal Re-Distribution and Political Conflict in Colonial and Post-Colonial Spanish America
    Working Papers of the Global Economic History Network (GEHN) No. 23/06 The Spanish Empire and Its Legacy: Fiscal Re-distribution and Political Conflict in Colonial and Post-Colonial Spanish America Regina Grafe & Maria Alejandra Irigoin © Regina Grafe & Maria Alejandra Irigoin Department of Economic History London School of Economics May 2006 This paper was presented at the Seventh GEHN Conference, Istanbul, Turkey (11-12th September, 2005), funded by a Leverhulme Trust Grant: “A Millenium of Material Progress” For more information about the participants and activities of GEHN, go to http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/economicHistory/GEHN/Default.htm Department of Economic History London School of Economics Houghton Street London, WC2A 2AE Tel: +44 (0) 20 7955 7860 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7955 7730 The Spanish Empire and its Legacy: Fiscal Re-distribution and Political Conflict in Colonial and Post-Colonial Spanish America∗ Regina Grafe & Maria Alejandra Irigoin As part of an endeavour to explain the divergence in incomes per capita between North and South America new institutional economics (NIE) and economic history have attempted in recent years to realize the potential effort for illumination derivable from comparisons of the heritage of their colonial institutions. As developed by North and his school these accounts of the institutional differences in the Americas are the offspring of similar (and we believe equally flawed) accounts for the divergence between Britain and the mainland of Europe – the latter afflicted by institutions epitomized by their inefficiencies compared with an entirely superior set of Anglo-Saxon institutions which promoted and sustained Britain’s successful trajectory to the First Industrial Revolution.1 In contrast to the original NIE narrative, another view developed by a group pf North American economic historians and economists prefers to emphasise the role of factor endowments as a foundational basis for both economic and institutional divergence between North and South America over the 19th and 20th centuries.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Spanish Liberalism and Constitutional Political Economy: the Cádiz Constitution of 18121
    Early Spanish Liberalism and Constitutional Political Economy: the Cádiz Constitution of 18121 Roger D. Congleton Center for Study of Public Choice George Mason University Fairfax, VA 22030 August 18, 2010 “Freedom, Sancho, is one of the most precious gifts that heaven has bestowed upon men; no treasures that the earth holds buried or the sea conceals can compare with it; for freedom, as for honour, life may and should be ventured ...” Don Quixote de la Mancha, Chapter LVIII, Miguel de Cervantes (1620). I. Introduction The history of Spain is not usually associated with liberalism or constitutional innovation by most English or American historians. That is partly because other aspects of Spain’s history attract the most attention. American historians tend to focus on Spanish exploration and settlement in the New World. European historians tend to focus on wars against the remnants of the Islamic empire to the south, Turkish Empire to the east, and the roles that Spanish rulers, such as Charles V (Carlos I) and Phillip II, played during the Protestant reformation. Spain’s international policies had major impacts on Europe and the New World during the late Middle Ages and early modern period. The neglect of early Spanish liberalism is also partly a consequence of the infamous Spanish inquisition developed during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The inquisition was used to curtail the rise of Protestantism throughout the Hapsburg territories 1 This paper is written for a Festschrift honoring Jose Cases Pardo, whose nickname, like that of the constitution analyzed below, is Pepe. 1 and also to suppress political dissent.
    [Show full text]
  • The Spanish Economic Experience: Lessons and Warnings for Latin America
    THE SPANISH ECONOMIC EXPERIENCE: LESSONS AND WARNINGS FOR LATIN AMERICA Paul Isbell Working Paper (WP) Nº 20/2004 5/3/2004 Area: Latin America / International Economy – WP Nº 20/2004 5/3/2004 The spanish economic experience: lessons and warnings for Latin America ∗ Paul Isbell Executive Summary (1): (1) Spain’s success in creating a thriving and prosperous market economy out of the stagnation and isolation which characterized the autarchic, state-dominated economy of the early Franco era has become a provocative reference point for other economies engaging in market reform, particularly in Latin America. (2) Spain’s transition to a market economy has been long and gradual. It has also enjoyed a benign, even positive, external environment throughout most of the period of liberalization and opening. (3) The sequencing of Spanish reforms allowed for an extended period of intense growth during the early phases of transition, from the late 1950s until the early 1970s, facilitating the creation of a domestic consensus for further economic reform. (4) Spain avoided a significant build-up of external debt throughout its long transition, and also remained free of externally imposed policy conditionality during the early phases of reform –at least until it began to negotiate its entry into the European community after the democratic transition–. This benevolent external financing environment was also strengthened by the noticeable economic aid Spain received during the 1950s and early 1960s from the US and by the significant EU transfer payments it enjoyed during the late 1980s and 1990s. (5) Integration into the EC, and later the EU, has been an indispensable tool in Spain’s market transition process and has significantly contributed to sustained growth and prosperity.
    [Show full text]
  • Andrey Gettinger January 2020 My Economics Adventure in Barcelona
    Andrey Gettinger January 2020 My Economics Adventure in Barcelona, Spain Spain is a beautiful country, full of history and rich cultural traditions. Furthermore, it is fascinating from an economic perspective. With the Franco Era, the “Spanish Miracle,” and its European integration, Spain’s economic history is one of a kind. While Spanish colonial past is rich and full of events, history of Spain of the 20th century is abundant with impressive developments that I find truly fascinating. Even though many countries have transitioned from one economy to another, I find Spain’s example unique as its politics and culture appear to be closely intertwined in its economy. For example, even today most businesses close for siesta hours (roughly from 2 to 5 pm). While from an economic standpoint of an individual business the decision to close for 3 hours appears irrational and leads to loss of potential customers, it turns out that when applied on a large scale, this business model actually attracts more people during the hours that the business is open than it loses during the closed hours, increasing overall sales. There are many examples of culture influencing economics in Spain. Prior to embarking on my trip, I’ve connected with a student, Berta Pla, from the international economics department at the University of Barcelona and discussed this Adventure in Economics opportunity with her. She has been very supportive and talked to one of her professors about the program. With her help, I got approval for attending a research workshop at the university, as well as joining Berta in her international business class (taught in English, just like most courses in her international business department).
    [Show full text]
  • Effects of Globalization on the Use of the Mediterranean Diet in Spain
    University of Mississippi eGrove Honors College (Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors Theses Honors College) 2014 Effects of Globalization on the Use of the Mediterranean Diet in Spain Jacob J. McGee University of Mississippi. Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis Part of the Nutrition Commons Recommended Citation McGee, Jacob J., "Effects of Globalization on the Use of the Mediterranean Diet in Spain" (2014). Honors Theses. 404. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/404 This Undergraduate Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors College (Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College) at eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Effects of Globalization on the Use of the Mediterranean Diet in Spain 2014 by Jacob McGee A thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for completion of the Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies Croft Institute for International Studies Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College The University of Mississippi University, MS Approved: Advisor: Dr. Kathy Knight Reader: Dr. William Schenck Reader: Dr. Minjoo Oh Effects of Globalization on the Use of the Mediterranean Diet in Spain Table of Contents Page Abstract 3 Introduction 4 Literature Review 6 Methods 28 Results 30 Discussion 38 Conclusion 40 Bibliography 42 2 Effects of Globalization on the Use of the Mediterranean Diet in Spain Lists of Tables and Figures Tables Page 1. Kg of food consumed by year at home and in hotels and restaurants, and 32 population 2.
    [Show full text]