Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Preface to the second edition
- Preface to the first edition
- Acknowledgements
- Chronological résumé of Spanish history since 1939
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The Constitution of 1978
- 3 The monarchy
- 4 Parliament
- 5 Central government
- 6 Central administration
- 7 Regional government and administration
- 8 Local administration
- 9 Public sector enterprises
- 10 Political parties
- 11 Trade unions
- 12 Business and professional associations
- 13 Financial institutions
- 14 The judiciary
- 15 Spain and Europe
- 16 Conclusion
- Appendix: elections in Spain, 1977–96
- Select bibliography
- Index of institutions and office holders
6 - Central administration
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 May 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Preface to the second edition
- Preface to the first edition
- Acknowledgements
- Chronological résumé of Spanish history since 1939
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The Constitution of 1978
- 3 The monarchy
- 4 Parliament
- 5 Central government
- 6 Central administration
- 7 Regional government and administration
- 8 Local administration
- 9 Public sector enterprises
- 10 Political parties
- 11 Trade unions
- 12 Business and professional associations
- 13 Financial institutions
- 14 The judiciary
- 15 Spain and Europe
- 16 Conclusion
- Appendix: elections in Spain, 1977–96
- Select bibliography
- Index of institutions and office holders
Summary
Preliminary note
The term ‘public administration’ (administraciones públicas) in Spain is used to cover a variety of institutions and services operating at central, regional and local level, as can be seen in figure 6.1. Since the departmental reorganisation of July 1986, the co-ordination and overall control of this vast bureaucracy has been the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Administration (Ministerio de Administraciones Públicas).
This particular chapter is organically linked, as we have seen, to chapter 5 on central government and is primarily concerned with examining central public administration. The regional and local authorities are dealt with respectively in chapters 7 and 8. This chapter examines the structure and functions of the ministerial departments, with a section that examines the 'anatomy' of one particular ministry, the social security system and the numerous autonomous administrative bodies (organismos autónomos administrativos) (6.3) which are dependent on the government departments. However, autonomous commercial, industrial and financial bodies, which are linked to most departments, are seen as forming part of‘public sector enterprises’, and they are thus dealt with in chapter 9. Finally, although recent years have seen the transfer of many powers and functions from central administration to the autonomous communities, reference is made to the institutional structure through which central government is administered at a local level through the system of delegated administration (administratión periférica del estado) (6.5.1).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Institutions of Modern SpainA Political and Economic Guide, pp. 91 - 116Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1997