AbstractsPolitical Science

The aim of my thesis is to examine the crisis in Spain and to consider whether an unhealthy political environment and the existence of an extractive political class can explain the crisis, or whether the situation in the country should be understood merely as a temporary economic crisis. To do so I investigate and discuss the causes to the crisis and test the assumptions and propositions in César Molinas’ theory of the political class in Spain. Molinas argues that the Spanish politicians do not have any comprehensive and long-term plan on how to escape the crisis due to their rent-seeking and extractive behaviour, and their desire to keep the (for them) beneficial system and the political structures intact. In the analysis I consider the reform agendas and policy measures adopted by the governments in charge since the outbreak of the crisis and discuss how these initiatives correspond with the hypotheses and assumptions of the theory of Molinas. While issues of political character such as corruption, the functioning of the political decentralized system, public administration and bureaucracy can be identified, the comprehensive and long-term reforms carried out during the crisis suggests that Molinas theory of the political class in Spain does not provide a valid or convincing explanation for the crisis in Spain.