ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the transition to democracy as a converging process of mass needs and aspirations with elite decisions and behavior. Spain's system of government evolved from dictatorship to democracy during a three-year period. Most importantly, parliamentary democracy in Spain was fashioned as a reform strategy and occurred without any formal—either rapid or violent—breakdown of the Franco regime. History shows that economic prosperity and development are ambivalent in their political effects. A description of the mass mobilizations and the elite maneuvering during the Spanish transition has been provided by various authors. There are factors that play an ambivalent role in the political process; in the case of Spain these were economic recession and regional nationalist demands during the Spanish transition. The people massively supported the bill later on in a referendum, not only because it was the best thing for the country but also because there was a need for change and democracy.
