As one of the first countries to have successfully completed the transition from authoritarianism to stable democracy, Spain provides an excellent case study, with valuable lessons for many Latin American, southern European, and eastern European nations that are either making the transition from authoritarian to democratic rule or consolidating the transition in a stable regime.

Focusing on Spain after Franco's death, Felipe Aguero identifies the important factors, phases, and negotiating points that contributed to Spain's success, including the monarch's intervention as head and symbol of the Spanish state. Aguero also explains precisely what civilian feaders did to keep the military in check while the process of stabilization took place. He than sets Spain in the larger context of democratization in Latin America and southern Europe, thereby further refining transition theory. This is an important book for political scientists and for sociologists who study democratization and European and Latin American politics.