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FCG International Economics 2005: ENRIQUE FUENTES QUINTANA

“Due to his professional and academic expertise, which has made him the master of masters of the Spanish economy, his intellectual brilliance and his contributions to our current economic and social state, the Jury has unanimouly decided that the most relevant set of merits of those analised, and thereby the Award, corresponds to: MR. ENRIQUE FUENTES QUINTANA. The jury especially considered his undeniable contribution to the establishment of the bases of the Welfare State and his help in making possible the conciliation between the financial system and social action, as the impulse behind the Social Work of the Savings Banks [Cajas de Ahorro] and their regulation as financial institutions. According to the jury that met in Valladolid on July 11, 2005, chaired by Mr. Andrés Quintanilla Buey, President of the Castilla Leon Academy of Poetry; and made up by the following members, Ms. Rosa Pereda de Castro, writer and journalist; Ms. Paz Ramos Pérez, journaist at Radio Nacional de España (RNE); Mr. Ángel Sánchez Harguindey, deputy editor of El País newspaper; and Mr. José Miguel Santiago Castelo, deputy editor of ABC newspaper.

ENRIQUE FUENTES QUINTANA - Biography

 Born in Carrión de los Condes (Palencia, Spain) on 13th December 1924, Enrique Fuentes Quintana is one of the Spanish economists who has had most academic and social influence during the second half of the 20^th Century, especially in the field of Public Finance, but also on other aspects of the economy.

He undertook doctoral studies in Law (1948) and in Political Science and Economics (1956). He was Professor of Political Economics and Public Taxation at the University of de Valladolid (1956-1958), Professor of Public Taxation and Financial Law at the Faculty of Political, Economic and Trade Sciences of the Complutense University in Madrid (1958-1978), Professor of Applied Economics at the Open University [Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)] (1978-1990). He has been Emeritus Professor of that same University since 1990. He was State Trade Technician (1951-1989), Director of the Study Services of the Trade Ministry (1958-1970), Editor of the “Información Comercial Española” [Spanish Trade Information], a publication of that Study Service (1958-1970), Director of the Institute of Taxation Studiesof the Revenue Commissioners (1970-1978) as well as of publications of that Institute.

As Second Vice-President and Minister of Economics of the Spanish Government (1977-1978), he carried out the Economic Cleansing and Reform Program agreed on by the democratic forces in the Moncloa Agreements, along with in-depth financial reforms that gave the Spanish Misnirty of Finance the equality and eficacy that the newly-born democratic system required.

He was Director General of the “Fondo para la Investigación Económica y Social” Foundation (FIES) [Economic and Social Research Fund] of the Spanish Confederation of Savings Banks [Cajas de Ahorros Confederadas] (1979-1995), Director of “Papeles de Economía Española” [Spanish Economy Papers], “Perspectivas del Sistema Financiero” [Perspectives of the Financial Systems], “Economía de las Comunidades Autónomas” [Economics of the Regional Autonomy] and “Cuadernos de Información Económica” [Economic Information Journals]. He has also been President of Honor of the FUNCAS Foundation (since 1995) (previously known as FIES), an Academic member of the Royal Spanish Academy of Moral and Political Science (since 1975), President of the Royal Spanish Academy of Moral and Political Science (since 1990) and Life Counsellor od the Spanish Council of State (since 1990).

Distinctions and Awards

-Prince of Asturias Award for Social Sciences (1989).

-Jaime I Award for Economics (1993).

-Social Science and Humanities Award of Castilla León (1994).

-Castilla León “Princess Cristina” Economics Award (1995).

-King Juan Carlos I  Award for Economics (1989).

-He received the distinction of “Doctor Honoris Causa” from the Universities of Valladolid (1990), Oviedo (1991), Sevilla (1993), Castilla–La Mancha (1995), Zaragoza (1995), Santiago de Compostela (1996), Alcalá de Henares (1996), Alicante (1998).

-He was also awarded the following outstanding distinctions: The Great Cross of Alfonso X el Sabio, The Great Cross of the Order of Carlos III, The Great Cross for Civil Merit, The Great Cross of Enrique el Navegante, The Golden Medal for Work, the Medal of Member of Honor of the Madrid College of Economists and the Medal for Merit from the Spanish Ministry of Finance.