Political corruption in Catalonia within contemporary Spain

Abstract

Drawing on original research, this article raises some key points for interpreting the role of political corruption in contemporary Catalonia. First, it analyses the part played by Catalan businessmen in building the Spanish liberal state. It then goes on to explain how caciquism worked during the Bourbon Restoration, and how such caciquism was denounced mainly by political Catalanism. Finally, it hones in on the corrupt practices of Catalan Francoists and the ties that Francesc Cambó forged with the systemic corruption in Argentina through the company known as CHADE. Some brief thoughts on current Spanish political corruption precede the conclusions, which attempt to establish an interpretative hypothesis that proves valid, in many ways, for understanding both Spanish and Catalan political corruption.