Spanish society after the democratic transition
After the
Under the rule of
Contraception and abortion
During the Francisco Franco years, the ban on the sale of contraceptives was complete and rigid at least in theory, even though the introduction of the combined oral contraceptive pill had brought contraception to at least half a million Spanish women by 1975. The ban on the sale of contraceptives was lifted in 1978, but no steps were taken to ensure that they were used safely or effectively. Schools offered no sex education courses, and family planning centers existed only where local authorities were willing to pay for them. The consequence of a loosening of sexual restraints, combined with a high level of ignorance about the technology that could be substituted in their place, was a rise in the number of unwanted pregnancies, which led to the second policy problem: abortion.[1]
Illegal abortions were fairly commonplace in Spain even under the dictatorship. A 1974 government report estimated that there were about 300,000 such abortions each year. Subsequently, the number rose to about 350,000 annually, which gave Spain one of the highest ratios of abortions to live births among advanced industrial countries. Abortion continued to be illegal in Spain until 1985, three years after the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (
Role of women
Perhaps the most significant change in Spanish social values, however, was the role of women in society, which, in turn, was related to the nature of the family. Spanish society, for centuries, had embraced a code of moral values that established stringent standards of sexual conduct for women (but not for men); restricted the opportunities for professional careers for women, but honored their role as wives and (most important) mothers; and prohibited divorce, contraception, and abortion, but permitted prostitution.[1]
After the return of democracy, the change in the status of women was dramatic. One significant indicator was the changing place of women in the work force. In the traditional Spanish world, women rarely entered the job market. By the late 1970s, however, 22 percent of the country's adult women, still somewhat fewer than in Italy and in Ireland, had entered the work force. By 1984 this figure had increased to 33 percent, a level not significantly different from Italy or the Netherlands. Women still made up less than one-third of the total labor force, however, and in some important sectors, such as banking, the figure was closer to one-tenth. A 1977 opinion poll revealed that when asked whether a woman's place was in the home only 22 percent of young people in Spain agreed, compared with 26 percent in Britain, 30 percent in Italy, and 37 percent in France. The principal barrier to women in the work place, however, was not public opinion, but rather such factors as a high unemployment rate and a lack of part-time jobs. In education, women were rapidly achieving parity with men, at least statistically. In 1983, approximately 46 percent of Spain's university enrollment was female, the thirty-first highest percentage in the world, and comparable to most other European countries.[1]
During Franco's years, Spanish law discriminated strongly against married women. Without her husband's approval, referred to as the permiso marital, a wife was prohibited from almost all economic activities, including employment, ownership of property, or even travel away from home. The law also provided for less stringent definitions of such crimes as adultery and desertion for husbands than it did for wives. Significant reforms of this system were begun shortly before Franco's death, and they have continued at a rapid pace since then. The permiso marital was abolished in 1975; laws against adultery were cancelled in 1978; and divorce was legalized in 1981. During the same year, the parts of the civil code that dealt with family finances were also reformed.[1]
During the Franco years, marriages had to be canonical (that is, performed under
Despite these important gains, observers expected that the gaining of equal rights for women would be a lengthy struggle, waged on many different fronts. It was not until deciding a 1987 case, for example, that Spain's Supreme Court held that a rape victim need not prove that she had fought to defend herself in order to verify the truth of her allegation. Until that important court case, it was generally accepted that a female rape victim, unlike the victims of other crimes, had to show that she had put up "heroic resistance" in order to prove that she had not enticed the rapist or otherwise encouraged him to attack her.[1]
In recent years, the role of women has largely increased in Spain, especially in politics but also in the labor market and other public areas. New laws have officially eliminated all kinds of discrimination, and are even perceived by some as positive discrimination, but a conservative part of the society is still ingrained in the macho culture. Anyway, Spanish women are quickly approaching their European counterparts, and the younger generations perceive machismo as outdated.[3][4][5]
Currently[when?], Spain has one of the lowest birth and fertility rates in the world,[6] up to the point of heavily hampering the population replacement rates. One or two children families are pretty common, and the age of parents has been increasing.
Sociopolitical and religious views
After 36 years of
While
According to the Eurobarometer 69 (2008), only 6% of Spaniards consider religion as one of their three most important values, while the European mean is 7%.[14]
Spanish society is considered one of the most culturally liberal and LGBT-friendly countries in the world, with 84% of Spaniards in 2015 believing that same-sex marriage should be allowed throughout Europe.[15] The 2019 Eurobarometer showed that 91% of Spaniards believed gay and bisexual people should enjoy the same rights as heterosexual people, and 82% supported same-sex marriage.[16]
Spain became the third country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage on 2005, and in June 2021, it became the sixth country to make euthanasia legal nationwide, with public support over 70%.
See also
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h Eric Solsten and Sandra W. Meditz (eds.) Social Values and Attitudes, U.S. Library of Congress Country Study on Spain, 1990, from research completed in December 1988.
- ^ "Ley Orgánica 9/1985, del 5 de julio, de reforma del Artículo 417 bis del Código Penal" (in Spanish). Boletín Oficial del Estado. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
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(help) - ^ Moore, Molly (7 October 2006). "After Machismo's Long Reign, Women Gain in Spain". Washington Post. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ Catan, Thomas (29 November 2006). "In the dark heart of machismo shines a beacon of sexual equalitry". The Times (Online). Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ "Spain Wages War on Machismo Attitudes". Deutsche Welle. 13 July 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, United Nations (2007). "World Population Prospects, The 2006 Revision - Highlights" (PDF). United Nations, New York. p. 96. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
- ^ a b Compare: Abernethy, Bob (7 July 2006). "Catholicism In Spain". PBS. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
It's estimated fewer than 20 percent of Spaniards now attend Mass regularly.
- ^ Compare: Sciolino, Elaine (19 April 2005). "Europeans Fast Falling Away From Church". New York Times. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
In Spain, a poll of university students by the BBVA Foundation in March indicated that of the institutions playing a prominent role in Spanish life, the Catholic Church inspired the least amount of confidence. Only 45 percent consider themselves Catholic, compared with 80 percent of Spain's population as a whole. [...] Today, the poll concluded, most university students 'disagree with the statement that, "The teachings of the Catholic Church help us to live more morally."'
- ^ Loewenberg, Samuel (26 June 2005). "As Spaniards Lose Their Religion, Church Leaders Struggle to Hold On". New York Times. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ MacHarg, Kenneth D. "Spain's Awakening:Is revival around the corner for Spain?". Latin American Mission. Archived from the original on 23 October 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ "Spain". International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Archived from the original on 23 October 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ Geoff Pingree and Lisa Abend (September 2007). "Spain's New Muslims". The Walrus. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
- ^ "Eurobarometer 69 - Values of Europeans - page 16" (PDF). Retrieved 24 March 2009.
- ISBN 978-92-79-50342-9. Archived from the original(PDF) on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
There then follows a group of countries where at least three-quarters of respondents agree with each of the three statements: Denmark (at least 87%), Spain (at least 84%), Ireland (at least 80%), Belgium (at least 77%) and Luxembourg (at least 75%
- ^ "Eurobarometer". europa.eu. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
References
- This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Country Studies. Federal Research Division.