Democracies Collection

Spanish Constitution promulgated by Juan Carlos I on December 27, 1978. Front cover

Spain (1873). First Republic
Spain (1873). The national Assembly proclamates the First Republic (11th February 1873). Etching

Mensa scrutiniorum (scrutiny table), 18th-19th c. It was made for receiving the professor election in the Cervera University. SPAIN. CATALONIA. LLEIDA. Cervera. Cervera Museum

The Cortes Generales proclaimed Juan Carlos King of Spain. 22/11/1975

JUAN CARLOS I of Spain (1938). King of Spain from 1975. The Cortes Generales proclaimed Juan Carlos King of Spain. 22/11/1975

Spain (20th c. ). Transition to Democracy
SPAIN. Barcelona. Catalan flags, including esteladada, flag of independence, in the demonstration during the Diada National Day of Catalonia. September 11th, 1977

A yellow and a black pencil crossing out the letterings Familien, Hartz IV and Rente, German for families, Hartz IV, a German unemployment benefit, and pension

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From the ashes of Spain's First Republic in 1873, the path to democracy was a long and arduous journey. Juan Carlos I, Spain's neutral king during the Spanish Civil War in 1938, played a pivotal role in the transition. The Spanish Constitution, promulgated by Juan Carlos in 1978, established a parliamentary democracy with the Cortes Generales proclaiming him king. Yet, the road to democracy was not without challenges. The Mensa scrutiniorum, an 18th-century scrutiny table, symbolized the intense political debates and negotiations. Fast forward to the 20th century, Spain's transition to democracy was marked by economic measures, with Germany's Conservative Parties implementing policies such as Hartz IV and Rente. This symbolic image of a yellow and black pencil crossing out these policies represents the democratic process, where the people's will is scrutinized and debated, ultimately leading to progress and change.