David Levintow
Wednesday 12:00 – 2:00 PM
January 11 through February 15, 2006
Tindle Lounge
This course will review a series of historical events in Spain starting around the beginning of the 20th Century, that had great consequences, serving as a catalyst for profound changes regarding class, social structure and politics. The opening session will examine the 1898 war between Spain and the United States, the outcome of which ended the era of Spain as a great colonial power with the loss and transfer to the U.S. of Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.
Spain's next major historical episode was the establishment of a Republic in 1931. King Alphonso had fled facing widespread revulsion against his regime which had been characterized by huge disparities in wealth and a dysfunctional feudal system. The Republic was supported by a coalition of parliamentary socialists, anarchists, communists, and many middle class, but it shortly faced an insurgency led by Army generals including Francisco Franco. The issues aroused intense ideological fervor, resulting in a civil war that lasted from 1936 to 1939.
The geographic regions of Spain have different cultural, economic and political attributes, all of which contribute to a complex interplay with the central ruling authorities, often including demands for regional autonomy or at times threatening succession. These protests are supported by political, economic and sometimes violent revolutionary actions. We will examine one of the most persistent claimant groups, the Basque separatist movement.
Finally we will see how, in the aftermath of the Cold War, Spain has been able to develop a strategy for economic development conducted in a broadly based and creative fashion, exploiting and enhancing the country’s inherent advantages, building a society with distributive equity, improving the quality of life of most of its citizens, and providing a model other developing countries could emulate.
DAVID LEVINTOW is a retired Foreign Service Officer who served in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Following his government service, he worked as a consultant advising governments and training officials to facilitate private sector investment in infrastructure service delivery. David has a B.A. in Government from Antioch College and an M.A. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
