Nationalism and its arrival in Catalonia, Spain
Nationalism, according to British encyclopedia, is an ideology based on the premise that the loyalty and devotion of an individual towards the State or the nation exceeds individual or group interests. This ideology can act as a unifying or dividing force. The first movement of modern nationalism in Europe was the 17th -century Puritan revolution in England. The English radicals of this movement fought against the imposition of feudalism. Freedom, equality and fraternity, was the slogan of the French Revolution. The nationalism of this revolution was based on the rational faith in humanity and liberal progress.
On the other hand, a nationalist movement was presented in Germany that favored the historical tradition and left the common aspirations on the one hand. The spring of the peoples happened in 1848 when nationalism returned hope to several European regions. However, there were occasions when nationalism created divisions in societies. The First World War and the fall of the Habsburg and Romanov empires, the states of Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia and Romania are created. However, these states were affected by nationalist disputes over the territory with their neighbors. For Russia, nationalism was an obstacle, since nationalist movements in Hungary, Poland and Yugoslavia prevented the expansion of the Soviet Union.
Nationalism resurfaces again after World War I. Europe was shattered and in countries like Germany, Italy and Spain the creation of nationalist parties was given. They were movements led by authoritarian regimes that caused the death of millions of people inside and outside their countries. While Spain was not involved in World War II was going through a civil war caused by Francisco Franco’s regime. In 1938, Franco regained control of the Autonomous Region of Catalonia killing approximately 3,500 people. This event marked the history of the region, creating repercussions that are still present.
By then, the Spanish Civil War finds its roots in ideological disputes between Republicans and nationals. The great social inequalities marked Spain, where there was a fairly rich minority and a majority that lived in miserable conditions at the costs of work with little monetary compensation. It was for this reason that the peasants and workers opted for the revolution in the face of the passivity of the government against Populista. Similarly, different regions began to acquire power at the same time that the Franco Empire weakened. A clear example of this is the approval of the Statutes of Autonomy of Catalonia.
When Francisco Fernando dies in 1975, Spain is released from a fascist dictatorship where democratic freedoms, political oppositions and regional diversity were crushed by their regime. This is the key moment where Spain takes up the path of democracy and formulates a new constitution, which is still in force. In this, different aspects are recognized that favor Catalonia and all regions that acquire a certain degree of autonomy, such as the recognition of the Catalan language as well as their ability to self-government. But, in the Constitution the decree that makes illegitimate is based, the separation of Spain by any of its regions.
When passing time, the Catalan identity has been increasing, and the movements that promote independence have taken a lot of strength in the same way. Therefore, beyond identifying how a nation completely alien to Spain, economic reasons are also an important factor.
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