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Cultural structures and political life: The cultural matrix of democracy in Spain 1
Author(s) -
BENEDICTO JORGE
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
european journal of political research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.267
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1475-6765
pISSN - 0304-4130
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-6765.2004.00155.x
Subject(s) - democratization , politics , democracy , sociology , political economy , political science , social science , environmental ethics , law , philosophy
. This article seeks to show empirically the importance of cultural aspects in the understanding of political events and the impact of cultural structures on the development of political life in contemporary societies. It uses as a case study the democratization process that has been taking place in Spain for the last 25 years. The Spanish case is especially interesting because of the powerful cultural framework established around the process of transition to democracy; a framework from which most political symbols and meanings of the new Spanish democracy emanate. After analyzing the basic categories of this cultural structure and the main consequences for the functioning of political life, the article goes on to argue that these cultural elements have shaped a special relationship between citizens and politics.