Radicalism and new image of the socialism in the 1970s: the basque case

Abstract

Many leftwing parties appeared in Spain during the last years of the Francoist regime and during the Transition to Democracy. In the background of the radical ideological debate against the regime, these parties fought both to define their identity and to archieve electoral weight. The Partido Socialista Obrero Español developed a new political thought, reclaiming its Marxist roots and, at the same time welcoming the requests from the local communities with strong nationalistic and self-government traditions. The Basque Countries is a case study of the process.