Carles Sudrià

Synthetic fuels in Spain, 1942–66: the failure of Franco's autarkic dream

This article studies the production of synthetic fuels in Spain under the dictatorship of General Franco. The Spanish synthetic fuels experiment was carried out by a state-owned firm which was endowed with huge financial and commercial privileges. The technological support for the project was to come from the German firm I.G. Farben. After the Nazi defeat, it suffered cutbacks and delays. The factory only reached normal levels of production in 1957, when the restrictions which had justified the project had disappeared. This study contends that the coincidence of state ownership and the absence of democratic controls may encourage economic adventurism and have serious consequences for a countrys economic development.

La exportación en el desarrollo de la industria algodonera española, 1875-1920

El objetivo de este trabajo es limitado y modesto. Se trata tan solo de ofrecer, elaboradas, las cifras de las exportaciones de tejidos de algodon en una etapa en la que las ventas al exterior tuvieron especial importancia para esta industria. Los principales rasgos de la produccion algodonera espanola y la problematica general de su demanda han sido estudiados por destacados especialistas del tema, entre ellos, de forma destacada, por el profesor Jordi Nadal 1 . Las cifras y las reflexiones que contiene este trabajo seran utiles unicamente para cuantificar y matizar cronologicamente un proceso que, en terminos generales, ya ha sido correctamente estudiado y definido.

Introduction: The evolution of business history as an academic field in Spain

Spanish business historians today participate in great numbers in national and international conferences, and are actively engaged in international associations of the discipline. The quality and quantity of research and publications related to business history developed by domestic and foreign researchers in Spain has notably increased during the second half of the twentieth century and first decade of the twenty-first century, and some of the largest departments specialised in economic and business history in Europe and even in the world are to be found in this country. All this means that it is extremely difficult to present in this special issue an exhaustive or complete description of the wealth of approaches and authors that have contributed, collectively, to the solid foundations of business history in this Southern European country. In this introduction to the collection, therefore, we will not attempt to present a complete overviewof individuals andoutputs.Rather,wewillmoremodestly try to shed some light on three aspects: the understanding of the peculiar path of development followed by the evolution of the discipline in Spain, the description of the most important factors that have contributed to its development and also to its international presence, and the identification of key themes and theoretical approaches. Those interested in more detailed information may consult available catalogues and reviews (Carreras, Tafunell, & Torres, 2003; Coll & Totella, 1992; Segreto, 1994; Tedde, 1995a,b; Torres, 1993; Torres & Puig, 1994; Valdaliso, 1993, 1996, 1999; Vidal Olivares, 2008).

En torno al proteccionismo hullero: notas a unas lecturas

El estudio de la mineria del carbon y de sus condicionantes ha sido hasta hoy uno de los caminos mas transitados por los historiadores economicos espanoles. Desde los trabajos pioneros de Nadal y Garcia Delgado hasta los mas recientes de J. A. Vazquez, S. Coll, G. Ojeda y el mismo Garcia Delgado, las aportaciones han sido numerosas y de calidad. Gracias a ellas nuestro conocimiento del viejo «problema carbonifero» es hoy mucho mas complete.