Alberto Ullastres facts for kids

Alberto Ullastres (born January 15, 1914 – died November 15, 2001) was an important person in Spain's government. He served as the country's Minister of Economy from 1957 to 1965. Later, he was Spain's ambassador to the European Economic Community (EEC) from 1965 to 1976. This was during the time of General Franco's rule.

Ullastres helped create a big economic change in Spain called the Stabilization Plan. This plan helped Spain move from being economically isolated to being open to trade with other countries. This change led to a time of fast economic growth known as the Spanish miracle. He was also a member of the Opus Dei organization, like some other ministers in Franco's government.

About Alberto Ullastres

Alberto Ullastres was born in Madrid, Spain, on January 15, 1914. He also passed away in Madrid on November 15, 2001.

He studied law and commerce at university. He earned a special degree called a doctorate in law from the University of Madrid. Later, he became a university professor, teaching about political economy.

Spain's Economic Growth

Alberto Ullastres is known as one of Spain's "great economists." This is because of his important role in the Spanish miracle. This was a time when Spain's economy grew very quickly.

Studying Old Economic Ideas

Ullastres studied economic ideas from the 1500s and 1600s. These ideas came from a group of thinkers called the School of Salamanca. He was especially interested in the ideas of Juan de Mariana and Martín de Azpilcueta.

The Stabilization Plan

In 1959, Ullastres announced a big plan to make Spain's economy stronger. This plan was called the Stabilization Plan. It made it harder to get loans and cut government spending. It also changed the value of Spain's money, the peseta, to make it more realistic.

With help from a large international loan, Ullastres opened Spain's doors to imports. These were goods from other countries that Spain needed to rebuild its economy. He also encouraged foreign companies to invest money in Spain. This was a big change, even though some people in the government wanted to protect Spanish businesses only.

The Stabilization Plan was a huge success. By 1963, Spain had a lot of money saved from foreign trade. Its economy was growing very fast. This period of rapid growth is what people call the "Spanish miracle."

See also

In Spanish: Alberto Ullastres para niños