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ABSTRACTDoes political regime matter? Parallel analyses of Spanish public expenditure and taxation policies under the authoritarian Franco regime and in the current democracy, as well as of decision-making processes under both regimes, based upon extensive in-depth interviews with relevant government officials from 1974 to 1996, indicate that political regime characteristics can have a profound impact on both policy processes and outputs. Ruling out a 'socioeconomic' explanation, the author concludes that striking aberrations in state spending and taxation policies in the early 1970s were systematic products of unusual features of Franquist policy-making processes, which were directly linked to the authoritarian nature of the regime itself. Subsequently, democratization has been accompanied by dramatic changes in both policy processes and outputs.

Longitudinal study of decision-making processes, public expenditure and taxation policies, and social outcomes during the authoritarian Franco regime and in the current democracy; 1974-96. Analysis of Franco-era policies based on interviews with 97 middle and high ranking public officials, 1973-75; analysis of contemporary policies based on interviews with named high-ranking public officials, 1980s and 1990s.

To explore whether political regime matters, parallel analyses were conducted of Spanish public expenditure & taxation policies under the authoritarian Francisco Franco regime & in the current democracy, as well as of decision-making processes under both regimes. Data obtained via in-depth interviews with 97 relevant government officials, 1974-1996, indicate that political regime characteristics can have a profound impact on both policy processes & outputs. Ruling out a socioeconomic explanation, it is concluded that striking aberrations in state spending & taxation policies in the early 1970s were systematic products of unusual features of Franquist policy-making processes, which were directly linked to the authoritarian nature of the regime itself. Subsequently, democratization has been accompanied by dramatic changes in both policy processes & outputs. 5 Tables, 63 References. Adapted from the source document.

Using aggregate, survey, and in-depth elite interview data from Spain in the 1970s and 1980s, I demonstrate that the "mechanical" effect of the Spanish electoral law is as strong as that of many single-member constituency systems. But the "distal" effect of the electoral law on the party system is shown to be complex and multifaceted, not direct and deterministic. The perceptions, calculations, strategies, and behavior of party elites play a crucial intervening role between the electoral law and the overall shape of the party system.