Catholic Roots and Democratic Flowers: Political Systems in Spain and Portugal

by Howard J. Wiarda, Margaret MacLeish Mott

Overview

Spain and Portugal have recently adopted European-style democratic and political systems. Yet their pattern of historical development is distinctive and, in many respects, their political systems still reflect unique features. In this provocative text Wiard and Mott analyze the special features of Spanish history: the Catholic tradition, seven centuries of Moorish rule, the Christian Reconquest, and the special nature of Spanish feudalism and nationalism. Building on these foundations, the authors analyze Spanish and Portuguese modern history, the regimes of Franco and Salazar, and the recent transitions to democracy. Successive chapters deal with class structure and interest groups, political parties and elections, the structure of the state and state-society relations, regional politics, and patterns of public policy.

While becoming more European socially, culturally, and politically, these two Iberian political systems show also some remarkable continuities with the past, including notions of organic democracy, neocorporatism, and tensions between regionalism and centralism, democracy and authoritarianism, and religiousity and secularism. Students and scholars involved with European politics, comparative politics, Iberian Studies, and transitions to democracy will find this an accessible and provocative analysis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275970222
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/30/2001
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.53(d)

About the Author

HOWARD J. WIARDA is Professor of Political Science and the Leonard J. Horwitz Professor of Iberian and Latin American Studies at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst. He also is Senior Associate of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. A prolific scholar, he is the author of numerous studies, including American Foreign Policy, Introduction to Comparative Politics, Latin Amerian Politics and Development, Transitions to Democracy in Spain and Portugal, and Politics in Iberia.

MARGARET MacLEISH MOTT is Professor of Political Science and Writing at Marlboro College. She has published in the Jourbanal of Church and State and has twice walked across Spain on the Road of St. James.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
The Long Sweep of Iberian History
The Franco and Salazar Regimes
The Transitions to Democracy
Political Culture: The Iberian Melody
Interest Groups and the Political Process
Political Parties and Elections
Government and the Role of the State
Public Policy: Domestic and Foreign
Conclusion: Roots and Flowers

Editorial Reviews

This textbook for students and the interested general reader considers the political development of Spain and Portugal. Wiarda (political science, U. of Massachusetts, Amherst) and Mott (political science, Marlboro College) analyze these countries' transitions to democracy as a Catholic, corporatist phenomenon. Coverage includes, for example, Iberian history, the Franco and Salazar regimes, interest groups and the political process, political parties and elections, and domestic and foreign public policy. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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