What happens in Spain, among the euro zone's largest economies, matters.
Its high unemployment (over 26%), burgeoning public debt, and banking
crisis will be formative for the zone's future.
In Spain: What Everyone Needs to Know(R), a timely addition to
Oxford's acclaimed What Everyone Needs to Know(R)
series, veteran journalist William Chislett provides much-needed
political and historical context for Spain's current economic and
political predicament. Chislett recounts the country's fascinating and
often turbulent history, beginning with the Muslim conquest in 711 and
ending with the nation's deep economic crisis, sparked by the
spectacular collapse of its real estate and construction sectors in
2010. He explains the country's transition from dictatorship to
democracy and covers such issues as the creation of a welfare state, the
influx of immigrants, internal strife from the separatist Catalan
region, the effects of stringent austerity measures, the strengths and
weaknesses of the economy, and how the country can create a more
sustainable economic model for the future. In a concise,
question-and-answer format that allows readers to quickly access areas
of particular interest, the book addresses a wide range of questions,
including: What was the legacy of the Muslim presence
between 711 and 1492? How did the Spanish Empire Arise? What were the
causes of the 1936-39 Civil War? Why did the Socialists win a landslide
victory in the 1982 election? What was the impact of European Economic
Community membership? What is the violent Basque separatist group ETA?
What caused the banking crisis? and more.
This engaging overview covers a wide sweep of Spanish history and helps
readers understand Spain's place in the world today.
What Everyone Needs to Know(R) is a registered trademark of Oxford
University Press.
