45 years of destruction (reconversion) of Spain's industry: consequences on the social structure of the 1978 regime

Abstract

Introduction: This article analyzes Spanish deindustrialization (1980–2024), arguing that the so-called “reconversion” was, in fact, a systematic dismantling. The aim is to highlight how this process, driven by integration into the EEC/EU negatively transformed the social structure of the 1978 regime. It is maintained that the loss of quality industrial jobs was not offset by the service sector but instead generated widespread precarity. Methodology: The research employs a mixed-methods approach. Quantitatively, official statistics (INE) are used to measure the decline in employment and industrial GVA, as well as wage trends. Results: A drastic drop in industrial employment is verified. This loss consolidated a tertiarized economy, with a high proportion of temporary, lower value-added jobs, creating a precarity gap. Territorially, it exacerbated duality and economic hollowing out in regions like Asturias or Galicia, while weakening the welfare state’s contribution base. Discussion: The loss of industrial sovereignty has led to structural dependency. The central discussion focuses on how the erosion of the productive base has directly impacted social cohesion, inequality, and the sustainability of public system. Conclusions: Deindustrialization has been a political-social process. Its structural consequences, including job precarity and deepen territorial inequality.