Authority and Association: Spanish Democracy in Comparative Perspective

This study examines the obstacles confronting democratization in Spain. In comparison with eight other polities in Western Europe and North America, we analyze the Spanish experience with regard to (a) the strength of the central government, (b) the abundance of voluntary associations, (c) the polarization between left-right and secular-religious orientations, and (d) the propensity toward "irregular" as contrasted with institutionalized political action. Spain is weak with respect to (a) and (b), and the country retains a susceptibility to "disorganized polarization." Socioeconomic changes, low associational membership, and elite reluctance to revive past enmities have moderated the left-right/secular-religious split. At the same time, the cleavage continues to provide cues for the structuring of political debate.