Decentralization and Democracy: the case of Andalucia.

Spain’s decentralization process after the death of Francisco Franco went hand-in-hand with the country’s democratization. Indeed, for many proponents of the creation of the ‘estado de las autonomias,’ decentralization was a necessary component of the transition to democracy. Is this common assumption borne out by the evidence, however? That is, was the primary cause of the devolution of authority in Spain pressure for enhanced democracy? Moreover, and perhaps even more importantly, has the autonomous community system in Spain resulted in a more ‘democratic’ society, in terms of citizen participation, government responsiveness, etc.? This paper seeks to answer these questions through an examination of Andalucia’s role in the decentralization process in Spain, and the consequences of the establishment of the regional government for democratic participation of the region’s citizenry. Andalucia’s leaders were primarily responsible for ensuring that other regions, not only the historic nationalities, would move forward rapidly toward autonomy. The paper analyzes these leaders’ motivations and rationale for promoting autonomous status for Andalucia, and the degree of public support and/or pressure present, during and since the transition to democracy. It then examines the level of participation of citizens and societal groups in a particular policy domain, the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]