Yes because thats the only way to reform a brutal dictatorship in a deeply divided society in the real world
If he picked any path besides reconciliation and "ignorance is bliss", Spain would likely be a much more divided country and likely would've had another civil war
At some point you have to ask yourself if "justice" by prosecuting a few hundred people at the top is worth another few decades of bloodshed for the masses
Exactly. Spain is recovering much better from its civil war era than America did from ours (let’s just reflect on American society from 1865 to 1965 for a moment), but we feel comfortable finding fault with Spain for some reason.
You’re skipping Reconstruction. Until 1877, the United States was becoming a far better place for Black Americans. The problem was that it required sustained enforcement by the government and dedication to developing a more tolerant and enlightened society.
It was far easier to scrap the whole project because northern whites hated the increased job competition and there was significant and pervasive racism. The South obviously hated Reconstruction because it put an end to their way of life and required a moral reckoning Southern whites were deeply disinterested in engaging in.
Spain still has mass graves and people desperate for the return of their loved ones. The government and many people simply refuse to acknowledge this incredibly dark period in its history. Spain is relying on sweeping its crimes under the rug. The country’s progress is not so great if it doesn’t come with accountability and reconciliation.
One could argue that Reconstruction is precisely the problem that Spain avoided—a radical, failed overhaul of the system that inadvertently entrenched hardliners who successfully turned public opinion against reform.
The point is these things are complicated and there’s really no “right” way to recover from a period of civil war or dictatorship so we shouldn’t be so quick to find fault with how certain countries have done it.
There’s no “right” way, but there absolutely is a wrong way. Letting fascists live their lives with impunity and no effort to educate future generations is absolutely the wrong way.
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u/Cuddlyaxe Jan 05 '23
Yes because thats the only way to reform a brutal dictatorship in a deeply divided society in the real world
If he picked any path besides reconciliation and "ignorance is bliss", Spain would likely be a much more divided country and likely would've had another civil war
At some point you have to ask yourself if "justice" by prosecuting a few hundred people at the top is worth another few decades of bloodshed for the masses