Although 20th century Spain has been dominated by the forces of the Right, historians have tended to concentrate their attentions on the Spanish Left. The Politics of Revenge redresses this balance with a disturbing interpretation of how fascists and militarists combined to overthrow democracy in Spain in the 1930s and maintained a cruel and corrupt dictatorship until the 1970s.

Paul Preston's engrossing study focuses on the army officers and Falangists who advocated and practiced political violence. Its provocative interpretation of the Spanish Right in its authoritarian, fascist and military forms constitutes an original vision of a ruthless political scene.

Preston is currently the world's leading authority on Spanish history. Through his thorough analysis of 40 years of fascist dictatorship in Spain, The Politics of Revenge serves as an indispensable aid to an understanding of 20th century Spanish and European history.