Spanish History Culture
Spanish Customs – Four Keys to understanding Spanish politics
The four keys to Spanish politics.
Hello! I've been living in Spain for almost twenty years. My wife is Spanish, my colleagues are Spanish, my customers are Spanish and businesses are Spanish. During these years, I've learned a lot about "being Spanish.
If you want to enter the market fast-growing Spanish-exploited, you need know more than speaking Spanish. You need to understand Spanish customs, Spanish etiquette and Spanish business culture. Otherwise, you will be another American trying to "sell" in Spanish.
There are three favorite topics of conversation in Spain:
- Football (Soccer)
- Sex.
- Policy.
Right Now let's talk politics.
To understand Spanish politics should be aware of the four key issues:
- The legacy of Francisco Franco.
- The Nationalists and the Autonomous Communities.
- And the fight Eta against terrorism.
- Spanish integration in Europe
Spain is a monarchy constitutional formed after forty years under the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco. Franco came to power after a bloody civil war, with scars are still evident in Spanish society. grandparents of many people fought and died in the war on both sides.
Although Spain is today a consolidated democracy European times Franco made it clear marks. In the Spanish press its common to hear references to the "two Spains" characterized by the right most conservative and the liberal left. After almost thirty years, neither party maintains any relationship with the former regime, but history is always a weapon to use against just political opponents. The truth is that the two major parties in Spain are more to the left of Democrats in the U.S.
One of the legacies principle of dictatorship is not the solution for many small "nationalism" within Spain. In fact, Spain has four official languages and the government office is in constant negotiations with the three nationalist groups start to finish to stay in power. These three groups belong to the Basque, Galician and Catalan regions.
Because of the complicated electoral system in Spain, the Nationalists have more power than the numbers suggest that it would be reasonable. In fact, almost always act as "hinge" parties are able to make the balance of power in Madrid. To ensure this power, nationalist parties are constantly looking for reasons to "sell" their ideas to the people who live in their regions. This makes for very interesting politics!
Without doubt the most negative force in Spanish politics is the terrorist Basque group known as ETA. This group has been planting bombs and shooting people for over forty years. Although progress has been made, remains a serious problem for all governments Spanish.
Finally, the incorporation of Spain into the European community and the adoption of the euro (the abandonment of the peseta), has been the main force overwhelming acting in Spanish society over the past two decades. Most of major infrastructures are built with European funds and the spectacular growth Spanish economy is mainly due to the benefits of accession to the EC.
If you want to do business in Spain, is a good idea to understand the fundamentals its political system.
If you are able to read Spanish, take a stroll through the Company-de-Exito.com and be able to see for yourself the absolute quality of our team members. You will be talking to real business people hundreds of years of collective experience money decisions in the Spanish speaking markets.
About the Author
If you would like to extend your business to the Spanish-speaking world, please visit our spanish marketing headquarters.
Dennis H. Lewis has been living in Alicante, Spain with his wife and two children for almost twenty years.
He currently runs three successful companies entirely in the Spanish market.