Spain Democracy
Fiona Duong
17 April 2014
Reaction Paper #2
Jon Snyder
Social Revolutions Spain’s transition to democracy at the time, was consider to be very successful and an ideal model for other countries overcoming dictatorship. After the gruesome Spanish Civil War, Spaniards, both left and right, all preferred to avoid another violent war that would tear their country and people apart. During the transition to democracy, Spain’s leader at the time, Juan Carlos I appointed Adolfo Suarez as prime minister of the country, who would be an important factor in Spain’s transition to democracy. Suarez helped the country with democratic reforms and the drafting of Spain’s constitution. Suarez also believed the correct path into democracy was following down the middle road instead of going right or left. Unfortunately, they are having shortcomings with their democracy. One reason I believe that contributes to this shortcoming is that they do not have a federal system. Also regions like Catalonia and Basque country do not want to be a part of Spain and divides the unification of the country. They are given more power and rights to govern their own region but even with those rights they want to be separate from Spain and apart of their own country. Also with the current economic situation with the European Crisis, Spanish banks getting bailed out by EU commissions in exchange for reforms of policies takes away the democracy from the people. Since policies such as job cuts, lower those who loan them money are implementing wages, etc onto the Spaniards; the ideology of democracy is slowly fading away from
17 April 2014
Reaction Paper #2
Jon Snyder
Social Revolutions Spain’s transition to democracy at the time, was consider to be very successful and an ideal model for other countries overcoming dictatorship. After the gruesome Spanish Civil War, Spaniards, both left and right, all preferred to avoid another violent war that would tear their country and people apart. During the transition to democracy, Spain’s leader at the time, Juan Carlos I appointed Adolfo Suarez as prime minister of the country, who would be an important factor in Spain’s transition to democracy. Suarez helped the country with democratic reforms and the drafting of Spain’s constitution. Suarez also believed the correct path into democracy was following down the middle road instead of going right or left. Unfortunately, they are having shortcomings with their democracy. One reason I believe that contributes to this shortcoming is that they do not have a federal system. Also regions like Catalonia and Basque country do not want to be a part of Spain and divides the unification of the country. They are given more power and rights to govern their own region but even with those rights they want to be separate from Spain and apart of their own country. Also with the current economic situation with the European Crisis, Spanish banks getting bailed out by EU commissions in exchange for reforms of policies takes away the democracy from the people. Since policies such as job cuts, lower those who loan them money are implementing wages, etc onto the Spaniards; the ideology of democracy is slowly fading away from