3.1.1 Establishing Control in the Nationalist Zone, 1938

• The system of government that replaced the Second Republic was announced by decree on 21st September 1936, declaring Franco the "Head of Government of the Spanish State"
• The cabinet was the most senior committee in government. It was made up of Franco's most senior ministers, reflecting the different groups that had supported the regime such as the Falange, monarchists, devout Catholics and senior members of the military
• In 1942, Franco revived the Cortes. Instead of being elected by the people, it was appointed and served as a consultant chamber that could offer advise to Franco, but not make laws
• Franco claimed he wanted to replace multi-party democracy with organic democracy. He established a series of corporations that were designed to represent the people in a way that would unite them and serve the needs of the country, however they were also used as a means of social control
• Features of Spanish Corporatism:

  1. Different groups in society were represented (the army, the church, rural/urban workers)
  2. Employers and workers were organised into syndicates representing different economic areas (by 1957, 30 syndicates represented 30 sectors of the economy)
  3. The Ministry of Syndicates oversaw bargaining trades between workers and employers to enforce government control (theoretically designed to ensure negotiations reflected the interests of the nation)
  4. All workers were required to belong to the appropriate corporation
• Features of 1938 Clerical Laws:

  1. Gave control of primary education to the Church
  2. Allowed the Church to establish and run youth groups independently of the Falange youth movement
  3. Banned the practice of religions other than christianity
• The Clerical Laws gave the Catholic Church a privileged position in Spanish society, which in return the Church gave Franco full support and did not condemn the atrocities committed by Nationalist forces