Has Spain a Future?

HAS SPAIN A FUTURE? NEALE H. TAYLER I N recent months Spain has come back to the front pages of the newspapers as a result of American military interest in her. Much has been said about the political and moral consequences of any financial or military aid that might be extended, and certainly no less has been said of the magnitude of the task of rehabilitation and the new construction that would be necessary, should such aid be decided upon. There is no need here to dwell on the evils and virtues of accepting the unhappy Spain of Franco into the United Nations or, more specifically, into any quasi-membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization through American sponsorship. For Hispanists, and those who wonder about the future of a once powerful people, the question is--"Has Spain a future?" Let us suppose that the United States decides, with or without the backing of her allies, to make money and supplies available to the Spanish government in return for specific commitments and concessions . Let us suppose further that the necessary trained personnel begin a carefully planned financial and physical reconstruction of Spain, eventually providing her with a new economic life and a powerful military force based on adequate resources. The question then arises whether Spain will be a revitalized country sufficiently settled and united to maintain a high place among the nations of the world. Will all the troubles and problems of the past and present disappear? The answer is, regrettably, "No." American aid would only alleviate the symptoms without affecting the cause of the disease. No amount of material aid alone will bring about a lasting resurgence in Spanish life. To understand why, we must know something of the Spaniard and his country, since this is the key to tlle problem. The Spaniard is a proud man whose existence is firmly based on the consciousness of his own individuality-his sense of personal worth. Allow him to feel that his neighbour is affecting superiority, and he becomes a cold and intractable enigma. Place him beside the extrovert American, and it is readily seen how very difficult the relationship will be. 'Nor can his almost anarchic individualism be overcome. Over the centuries it has grown as a result of his environment and has been constantly ingrained in generation after generation. So well recognized is the divisive effect of geography on the Spanish people, that even today the Spaniard thinks of his country under its ancient title of Las Espanas, the King246 Vol. XXI, no. 3, April, 1952 HAS SPAIN A FUTURE? 247 doms of Spain. A brief glance at a relief map showing the mountains and rivers of the country explains the development of this very natural cognomen. It also helps to explain both the regionalism and individualism of the people. This bare statement of fact by no means makes clear the intensity of these traits. It is perhaps through literature that the startIing differences in characteristics, needs, and aspirations of the various regions can best be understoed. Any list of the so-called "regionalist authors" and their works would be a lengthy one, but names like Pereda, Pardo Bazan, and Blasco Ibanez, will have a world of meaning for those who have read even one of their novels.' In this regionalism and individualism, so apparent in Spanish literature, lies a root cause of national disunity and weakness. With this diversified approach to the affairs of daily life in Spain, exemplified by the literature, it is not surprising that the country has had only one period in her history that could be regarded as displaying a national attitude or spirit. What is more noteworthy is that it was precisely during this nationalistic period, from Ferdinand and Isabella to Philip II (1479-1598) that her decline began. Furthennore, this nationalism was actually due to the religious challenge to the individual by Islamic civilization in Spain, and was prolonged by the discovery and exploration of the New World, which also appealed to the individualism of the Spaniard. In the nineteenth century, through constitutionalism, a second strong and sincere attempt was made to find a source of unity for the country and to...