Francoism

Francoism refers to the dictatorship headed by Francisco Franco in Spain from the end of the Civil War in 1939 until Franco's death in 1975. The regime emerged after Nationalist forces defeated Republican opponents and was anchored in a personalist, authoritarian state in which Franco held ultimate authority as caudillo, or leader.

Ideologically, Francoism combined nationalist ultraconservatism, Catholic traditionalism, and corporatist organization. The state favored a single official movement, the Movimiento Nacional, with political pluralism and independent civil society suppressed. Repression, censorship, and surveillance limited dissent, and regional autonomies were dissolved in favor of centralized authority.

Economically, the regime pursued autarky in the 1940s and 1950s, later adopting gradual liberalization and foreign investment in the 1950s–1960s. Growth during the late Franco period, sometimes called the 'Spanish Miracle,' was driven by tourism, construction, and industry, accompanied by social change and rising urban migration.

Culture and religion were closely aligned with the Catholic Church. Education and cultural policy promoted Spanish nationalism and Catholic values, while regional languages and identities—especially in Catalonia and the Basque Country—were restricted, and regional autonomy was limited.

In international affairs, Francoism navigated postwar isolation by emphasizing anti-communism and cultivating ties with the United States and Western Europe. Economic and military aid, along with strategic diplomacy, helped stabilize the regime for decades, though full integration into the Western bloc occurred gradually.

The regime ended with Franco's death in 1975, after which a transition led to a constitutional monarchy established by the 1978 constitution. The legacy of Francoism remains a contested part of Spanish history, influencing regional politics, memory debates, and the structure of the modern state.