"The business of hunger": Fraud and corruption during the autarkic post-war in rural Andalusia

Abstract

The autarkic post-war policy sunk the majority of the population into poverty and shortage, condemning them to hunger and disease. However, there were large groups that benefited themselves from this economic policy of the Franco regime. They were, not only corrupt big 'estraperlistas' who traded on the black market, but also lots of small and medium shopkeepers who defrauded. The economic interventionism allowed these socioeconomic sectors to increase their incomes, as it made possible to them to act illegally in the field of supplies with wide impunity. Therefore, the autarky was not only the economic policy adopted by Franco's regime, but also a political tool of the dictatorship to consolidate and generate new loyalties to perpetuate itself throughout the time.

Keywords

• posguerra
• autarquía
• fraude
• corrupción
• mercado negro
• estraperlo