Since the demise of the Franco dictatorship in 1977 Spain has emerged as one of the world's most successful new democracies. But what accounts for the remarkable process of democratization in Spain? This book shows how a post-transition settlement made possible Spain's transition from authoritarian to democratic rule.

Controversial policies such as same-sex marriages, negotiations with the Basque terrorist organization ETA, expanded powers to regional governments, and accountability for human rights abuses committed during the Spanish Civil War and the Franco regime, explain the widespread claim that Zapatero has shattered the political status quo of the post-Franco era. This book will be essential reading for students and scholars of contemporary Spanish politics and comparative democratization.

Acknowledgments.
List of Tables.
List of Figures.
List of Abbreviations.
Introduction.
Chapter 1. A Post-Transition Settlement.
Chapter 2. Politics and the Lessons of History.
Chapter 3. The Primacy of Democratic Crafting.
Chapter 4. From Contention to Moderation: Party Politics.
Chapter 5. The Dark Side of Consensus? A Civic Deficit.
Chapter 6. A Nation of Nations: De-centralizing the State.
Chapter 7. Growing Pains: The Post-Franco Economy.
Chapter 8. Pinochet's Revenge: Confronting the Past.
Chapter 9. A Second Transition: Zapatero's Spain.
References.
Index