From 50 Years Ago: Last Days of Spanish Raj

Last Days of Spanish Raj

Spain is in the unenviable position of being the only country in the world which still has a regime whose origins go back to the fascist convulsions of the thirties. Although its repressive tendencies have mellowed, the ‘leader’ cult and an abiding faith in the righteousness of a hierarchical social system, which are the hall-marks of fascist regimes, still persist and are epitomised in the fading figure of the 78-year old Caudillo (leader), General Franco. As all forms of political opposition have been denied the freedoms of assembly and association since 1939, when the Spanish Civil War ended in the victory of Franco’s Falangists, most political activity takes place in a clandestine manner. In spite of the fact that only official trade unions are allowed, there has been a series of strikes during the last few months organised by underground unions known as the “Worker Commissions”, which are controlled by the Communists and backed by Le[f]t-wing Catholics and disenchanted ex-Falangists.