The National Council of the Movement: the ‘chamber of ideas’ of the francoism

Abstract

One of the elements that, within the institutional system of the Francoist Spain, has received less attention by historians and political scientists is the National Council of the Movement. This fact relates with the ambiguous and vague legal configuration this “House of ideas” received as organ of joint representation of the dictatorship’s single party. Despite repeated attempts to expand its powers, it never managed to operate effectively and independently as a parliamentary Assembly: trapped in the authoritarian logic of the regime, it could not escape from the control exercised by other institutions, mainly the Government and the Head of State. Combining the exegesis of legal texts, the analysis of archive documents and the contrast with doctrinal contributions, this article shows the contradictions of the theoretical image of the National Council, making clear its origins and evolution, its nature, composition and organization, its functions and purposes, and the political rule it carried out within the organic structure outlined in the legislation of the time.