ABSTRACT
Spain went through a profound transformation following the death of Franco in 1975. With democracy and greater liberty, new actors began to acquire relevance in the debates and public life of the country. Entrepreneurs and their representative organisations emerged as necessary interlocutors. This chapter focuses on the analysis of their role in the new, democratic Spain. On the one hand, during the political transformation itself from dictatorship to democracy, they needed to monitor the economic policy implemented by the first democratic governments, which had to deal with numerous challenges in the midst of an economic crisis. On the other hand, during the so-called international Transition, Spain was able to return to the international organisations previously vetoed on political grounds, in particular NATO and the Common Market, and entrepreneurs and their organisation became a part of a strong national debate concerning strategic, political and economic questions.
