La hambruna española en las zonas de latifundio bajo el franquismo: un caso de estudio de Andalucía

José M. Abril Hernández; Miguel Ángel del Arco Blanco

doi:10.70794/hs.119327

Authors

José M. Abril Hernández Universidad de Sevilla https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2540-5576
Miguel Ángel del Arco Blanco Universidad de Granada https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6206-8209

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70794/hs.119327

Keywords:

Famine, Francoism, Autarky, Demography

Abstract

This article deepens the understanding of the Spanish famine through the case study of the municipality of Bujalance (Córdoba). Drawing on demographic sources, the authors focus on the effects of famine in a region marked by large estates, day laborer dependency, and intense political mobilization before the Civil War. The study shows how autarkic policies, combined with poor harvests and the latifundio structure, generated exceptional mortality and a sharp decline in birth rates. The new repressive framework imposed by Franco’s victory punished day laborer families who, facing unemployment and meager wages, struggled to withstand famine. The article documents excess mortality, especially among day laborers and the elderly, and highlights emigration as a key survival strategy.

Author Biographies

José M. Abril Hernández, Universidad de Sevilla

Professor at the University of Seville, attached to the Department of Applied Physics I. Corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Córdoba. Main lines of research: Radiogeochronology, pollution, and environmental modeling; applications of computational fluid dynamics, with contributions to archaeology and archaeoastronomy. Scientific output: 114 articles in impact-indexed journals (53% Q1 according to SCImago Journal Rank).

Miguel Ángel del Arco Blanco, Universidad de Granada

Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Granada. His research focuses on the Spanish Civil War, the post-war period, and fascism, addressing topics such as political attitudes, repression, memory, and Franco's famine. His work has appeared in national and international academic journals such as the Journal of Contemporary History, European History Quarterly, Contemporary European History, International Journal of Iberian Studies, Ayer, Historia Agraria, and Historia Social. His latest book is La hambruna española. Victoria y muerte en la posguerra [The Spanish Famine: Victory and Death in the Postwar Period] (Crítica, 2025).