The Spanish cultural action at the crossroad of the Italian politics (1953-1957)

Abstract

The main aim of this article is to describe the complex and at difficult relationship that took place between the Franco regime and the unstable Italian Republic from 1953 to 1963. It will be argued that a key component of this relationship was the cultural policy, which was considered by the Spanish regime as a «powerful weapon» in order of gaining a place in the western post-war order. The signing of the Hispano-Italian Cultural Treaty on the 11Th August 1955 represented the peak importance of this policy between the two countries. Even if it’s objectives were poorly defined, the achievements of the francoist cultural policy were quite modest if compared with its initial proposals.