The spanish political transition to democracy; a Public Choice approach

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Published 22-02-2012
José Casas Pardo

Abstract

The aim of this article is to try to explain the quick, smooth and peaceful transition from a totalitarian political regime to a fully democratic political system in Spain afther Franco's death. For thir purpose I utilize analytical instruments of Public Choise Theory. I start from the assumption that afther Franco's death each agent (the King, the Cortes, the Army, the Falange, the council of the Realrn, the big entrepreneurs, the Francoist trade unions, the illegal polical parties, the illegal trade unions, the nationalist moviments, the Catholic Church and foreign powers). Tried to impose upon the other agents its preferred political system. At the beginnings of the process each agent had a kind of balance sheet: om its assets side it had some legal property rights and/or entitlements (powers), and on its liabilities side it had some constraints or limitations. Very soon all agents realized that neither of them had either the legal powor or entitlements powerful enought to impose upon the other agents their preferred political system. And so they entered into a process of negociation. And so the 1978 Constitution was agreed upon.

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Section
Miscellany