Spain and the Early Process of European Integration, 1945–57

Abstract

Spanish participation in the process of European integration was not only obstructed by her political situation in the wake of the Second World War. More complex historical problems led Spain to maintain an uneasy relationship with the continent, preventing her full incorporation into mainstream Europe. For this reason it is necessary to put the debate of Spain’s relations with Europe in historical context. In the next section we shall examine briefly the role played by Spain in modern Europe and secondly, how the concept of Europe evolved in Spanish political thought and the impact it had on the country.