Written in an accessible style and assuming no prior knowledge, the books in this series address the specific needs of students on language cources. Approaching the study of history from an interest in politics and society, each book offers a clear historical narrative and sets its country into a wider European context. It is easy to forget just how distinctive Spain's historical experience has been yet a knowledge of history is particularly important for an understanding of Spain today. Beginning in 1812, the year of Spain's first Constitution, and ending in 1996 with the first victory in a free general election for a democratic Right wing party, this book focuses on political history and takes as its theme the process by which liberal democracy was finally implanted in Spain; a half-century after its definitive triumph in western Europe as a whole. The prologue and ten main chapters - each of which begins with a brief overview of the main contemporary developments in European history - are arranged chronologically. Within chapters the structure is thematic, the emphasis being on understanding major developments, their causes, and the relationships between them. Inserts embedded in the text provide details of key concepts, while `exhibits' - short extracts from contemporary Spanish texts in the original - provide a flavour of the ideas developed.