The Pacted Transition to Democracy and Labour Politics in Spain

Pacts, it is widely argued, are conducive to the introduction of liberal democratic rule. However, it is not clear under which conditions pacts are likely to emerge. Moreover, concentrating on the introduction of democracy leaves out an analysis of the consequences of pacted transitions once democracy has been established. Using the case of Spain, the author argues that elite pacts reduced the uncertainty commonly found in transitions and thus allowed for a relatively smooth democratic transition and consolidation. One of the long-term consequences was the political marginalization of labour once democracy was firmly established.