The Pain in Spain

Paul Mason's 'The Great Spanish Crash' (BBC2) was an authoritative and depressing account of economic, banking and housing collapse in Spain over the last four years. The story is all too familiar yet this was an engaging and at times moving presentation of how one of the World's growing economies has slumped into the depths of depression. Spain had very poor banking regulation, a property boom fuelled by entry into the Euro and cheap interest rates and an economy overly dependent on construction for revenue income. Loans that municipalities could easily service in the good times became almost impossible to repay in the recession/depression. The psychic effect of the collapse has been devastating; between 40-50% of youth unemployment, forced graduate emigration, mass demonstrations where the familiar question being asked is 'why should austerity apply to those not responsible for the collapse of the financial system'? 'The Great Spanish Crash' was a professional and comprehensive documentary with access to policy makers and Prime Ministers; but it was Paul Mason's engagement with ordinary people that was the most effective as the viewer saw the scale of human suffering unleashed by the 'great unravelling'. While 'thetvreviewguy' admires Mason's skill and humanity in this compelling programme, he is depressed about where it's all going to end. A'' Triple A'' of a programme.