FEDERAL EVOLUTION IN SPAIN

The gradual development of federal arrangements in Spain through its r egional governments is examined within five perspectives on ''post-mod ern'' federalism: differentiation of the Spanish unitary state through the autonomous communities; evolutionary compacting through negotiate d agreements, creating ''self-rule plus shared rule''; complementary b uilding of democratic institutions and territorial distribution of pow er; federalism's contribution to accommodating and managing center-per iphery conflicts; and the use of federal arrangements in building the Spanish welfare state. While the Spanish system to date represents ''i ncomplete federation,'' the noncentralized estado de las autonomias ex emplifies the increasing federal character of states on the internatio nal scene.