ABSTRACT
Alejandro Quiroga considers the changing narratives of the nation amongst Spanish conservatives. Beginning with the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, we see how core narratives of Spanish rightist nationalism were crafted: the unity of Spain; Catholicism; the role of the military as well as the centrality of the Castilian-Spanish language. The seeming advance of these narratives was halted by the Second Republic, which developed secular, democratic and decentralised policies. In response, Spanish conservatism radicalised, a process that accelerated during the civil war through the ‘sacralisation’ of the nation. Francoist nationalism excluded the moderate right whilst fascistic and counter-revolutionary elements were strengthened. The unity of Spain served as a universal framing whilst National Catholicism became the central political expression. The regime failed to inculcate its political nationalism though it achieved some success in its cultural nationalist value system. During the Spanish right was forced to articulate a new narrative of the political nation, though without rejecting the Francoist legacy.
