On The Catalan Secession

Posted: 10/28/2017  Updated/Revised: 11/5/2017

Updated Of 11/5/2017

Today, I read a very good commentary here about the Catalan secession. Here is the essence of this commentary as I understand it:

1. Abuse of solidarity. If it is true that the economically successful and fiscally responsible province of Catalonia has been paying tons of money to support the other, profligate and fiscally irresponsible provinces of Spain, then this could constitute abuse of solidarity
2. Spain had a very tumultuous history between 1808 and 1873 if not beyond. I do not know enough to go into that, but the very short lived First Republic of 1873 should be a reminder that the early intentions of the citizens of Spain was to found a federal republic. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia: “On 1 June 1873 the first session of the Constituent Cortes was opened and the presentation of resolutions began. The first [resolution] ...: "First Article. The form of government of the Spanish Nation is the Democratic Federal Republic". The president, having carried out the Cortes' regulations for the definite approval of proposal of law, arranged to hold a nominal vote the next day. The resolution was passed 8 June by a favorable vote of 219 representatives and only 2 against, and the Federal Republic was thus declared. Most of the federalists in parliament supported a Swiss-like confederative model, with regions directly forming independent cantons.” (emphasis added)

Trigger

In recent weeks, the situation about the attempts by Catalan secessionists and Spain has tremendously escalated. In particular, the government in Madrid is playing unnecessary rough hard ball with Catalonia.

Food For Thought

Since I am not deeply familiar with the history of Catalonia nor Spain, I will present here only a few bullet points:

1. In history, the proverbial pendulum swings back and forth. In the 19th century and into the 20th, we observed extreme nationalism and forming of unitary states in Europe (e.g. Italy, Germany, Belgium) resulting in ever bigger countries composed of various, but centrifugal entities. Will we see more federalism and more independent smaller states in the 21st century?
2. Catalonia appears to have a long, distinct history of its own and the incorporation into Spain is perhaps a rather artificial result of history
3. The increasing centralisation of 28 European countries into the hegemon EU promoted by a power hungry euro-nationalist elite is a failure. More federalism and more individual freedom are long overdue. Historically, Europe was best and most successful when variety and many small, competing, diverse sovereign powers prevailed
4. If the Czechs and Slovaks were able to separate peacefully in 1993, why can't the Catalans and Spaniards do the same?