The Public Image of Soviet Science During Franco’s Spain

During the second half of the 1950s, Spain received economic and technological assistance from the Western bloc, which encouraged a transformation of the country’s socioeconomic structures. Spanish political leaders adopted a technocratic approach to increase the efficiency and economic growth of th...

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Main Author: Ruiz-Castell Pedro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2024-12-01
Series:HoST
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/host-2024-0013
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author Ruiz-Castell Pedro
author_facet Ruiz-Castell Pedro
author_sort Ruiz-Castell Pedro
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description During the second half of the 1950s, Spain received economic and technological assistance from the Western bloc, which encouraged a transformation of the country’s socioeconomic structures. Spanish political leaders adopted a technocratic approach to increase the efficiency and economic growth of the State. However, they also aimed to normalize relations and establish commercial agreements with Eastern European countries as a form of external support for their new economic policy. After years of exploiting anti-Communism to enhance political stability, many Spaniards became suspicious of the Soviets and were convinced of the threat that their political ideology represented. To depoliticise such relations and mobilise consensus, the press developed a new rhetoric towards the Soviet Union. This had a significant impact on how scientific and technological news were presented in Spanish newspapers, particularly when reporting on the progress of the space race and nuclear physics.
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spelling doaj-art-d83ea397d77c42cf83e4746cc68d1ba02025-02-10T13:25:51ZengSciendoHoST1646-77522024-12-01182547310.2478/host-2024-0013The Public Image of Soviet Science During Franco’s SpainRuiz-Castell Pedro0University of València, SpainDuring the second half of the 1950s, Spain received economic and technological assistance from the Western bloc, which encouraged a transformation of the country’s socioeconomic structures. Spanish political leaders adopted a technocratic approach to increase the efficiency and economic growth of the State. However, they also aimed to normalize relations and establish commercial agreements with Eastern European countries as a form of external support for their new economic policy. After years of exploiting anti-Communism to enhance political stability, many Spaniards became suspicious of the Soviets and were convinced of the threat that their political ideology represented. To depoliticise such relations and mobilise consensus, the press developed a new rhetoric towards the Soviet Union. This had a significant impact on how scientific and technological news were presented in Spanish newspapers, particularly when reporting on the progress of the space race and nuclear physics.https://doi.org/10.2478/host-2024-0013public spherenewspaperspopular sciencedepoliticizationspain
spellingShingle Ruiz-Castell Pedro
The Public Image of Soviet Science During Franco’s Spain
HoST
public sphere
newspapers
popular science
depoliticization
spain
title The Public Image of Soviet Science During Franco’s Spain
title_full The Public Image of Soviet Science During Franco’s Spain
title_fullStr The Public Image of Soviet Science During Franco’s Spain
title_full_unstemmed The Public Image of Soviet Science During Franco’s Spain
title_short The Public Image of Soviet Science During Franco’s Spain
title_sort public image of soviet science during franco s spain
topic public sphere
newspapers
popular science
depoliticization
spain
url https://doi.org/10.2478/host-2024-0013
work_keys_str_mv AT ruizcastellpedro thepublicimageofsovietscienceduringfrancosspain
AT ruizcastellpedro publicimageofsovietscienceduringfrancosspain