ABSTRACT
The surface of Spanish life has changed spectacularly since Franco was buried in November 1975. Spaniards may legally divorce; have abortions; smoke, snort, or otherwise ingest dope; swim naked at the beach; and openly indulge their most elaborate sexual fantasies, with pornography available at kiosks, bookshops, movie houses, and live theaters. The contrast to what was the officially trumpeted culture and life of the Franco regime could scarcely be more dramatic. Spain’s culture was a Catholic antique, complete with symbols and ceremony inspired by Ferdinand and Isabella, Charles V, and Philip II. Franco turned his back on the mainstream of Spanish culture that had been renewed in the “Generation of ‘98”, named for the year that Spain was humbled by the United States in the Spanish-American War. While the debate over abortion polarized both the decisionmakers and the citizenry, the Socialist government was also attempting to deal with yet another reality that has become part of Spanish society: drugs.
