Catalan separatism. A march in trainers... Straight to failure 

Secessionist mobs on September 11th 2017 Catalonia's Diada

Dear non-Spanish-speaking readers of this entry, were you interested in continuing to read, I would beg you to drop any romantic ideas about Spain. I hope you are not surprised that they do not hold true any longer. The nineteenth-century nationalistic revolutions as well as General Franco’s Regime are distant enough. I mean that the Catalan separatism is not a movement struggling for cultural revival, peace and prosperity or social justice. Thanks to the constitutional Spanish State, La Generalitat de Catalunya has autonomously managed its own budget headings since 1979 through governmental departments of the different economic areas, administration, culture, education, health, home, justice, social affairs, transport, treasury, etc. What the heck has been going on in Catalonia then?

In my view, this secession rush is rather connected with a strong superiority complex –funnily combined with a great deal of retro-victim mentality– on the part of some sectors of Catalan society. Let me clarify here that I am a middle class Andalusian, who lives in Castille-La Mancha, quite opposed to Mr Rajoy’s Partido Popular precarious Government (supported by just 33.03% ballots in June 26^th 2016 general elections). In other words, I am not a conservative. But it is high time that we Spaniards speak up for our country unitedly. Whether one is a conservative or a progressionist, there must be some principles that we can share however Iberian (*) we feel. Either conservatives or progressionists, I expect everyone agrees that modern democratic countries must never allow the rise of first class citizens and regions within their boundaries. There is no justification for such a kind of prejudice to the supposed second class region citizens, is there?

Under the circumstances, what does matter is to meet our commitment with Spain and the 1978 Spanish Constitution, according to which self-determination would be the right of the whole people of Spain. The country’s unity can not be questioned by a noisy lot every time economic crises strike the nation. Besides, to focus on the people of Catalonia’s will, are simple majorities really entitled to take decisions about capital issues? The secessionist majority in the Catalan Parliament, after September 27^th 2015 regional elections, was supported by 56.74% ballots out of a 74.95% poll. Is that a secessionist feeling overwhelming enough to affirm that the Catalan long for independence? The shameful truth is that many Catalans who are not for independence do not dare say NO out loud.

That is the main reason, out of a number, why October 1^st 2017 independence referendum and the Catalan Exit had to be illegal, and hence unfeasible. The underlying and overlying totalitarianism of the Government of Catalonia is thunderous. La Generalitat’s practices range from leaders’ personality cult to illegal procedures –against their own Parliament’s too– going through brainwashing propaganda, historical reinterpretation, intimidation and reprisal (reading the independent press is quite revealing). All this has been possible partly because of the Spanish State’s indulgence towards the regional public office representatives even when the latter accuse the State of… What?! Enforcing Law and protecting the other half of the people of Catalonia, who think differently from the separatist Catalan establishment and their mob? If you remain skeptical, you are in time to shake that skepticism off: look back on the history of Europe and remember the bloodshed and the destruction caused by nationalistic-totalitarian regimes whenever they were tolerated in their first stages.

Some of the responsible Catalan secessionist leaders. From left to right:
left wing republican Vice President of Catalonia Mr Junqueras,
liberal President of Catalonia Mr Puigdemont
and left wing republican President of the Catalan Parliament Ms Forcadell

Fortunately Spain has nothing to do with the 1990’s Balcans, for instance. Catalonia is indeed one of the most thriving regions in the European Union but Mr Puigdemont’s Regional Government does not have an army of its own, unlike Mr Milošević’s Serbia. So there is no chance that independence can be obtained by military force. And, of course, no Great Catalonia will be ever founded by annexation of the surrounding French and Spanish territories, which is one of the trumpeted ambitions of the Catalan nationalists. Even if some of the angry masked demonstrators of their parades continue burning European national flags and marching in such a threatening way, there will be still no reason to get too nervous. They can only march in trainers, although they surely wish they had access to military boots and equipment in order to stage their coup d’état successfully.

"Independència en sabatilles" (September 12th 2015),
previous blog entry on the topic

Nevertheless, the proven fact that the worst civil wrongs and criminal actions are being carried out by the Catalan Regional Government must prevail. Those rebellious leaders are showing evident incapacity to build tomorrow’s Catalonia without demolishing present day’s Catalonia by means of both social confrontation and utterly undemocratic procedures. None else but the separatist leaders must be prosecuted, not only for the campaign of hatred to Spain they have been directing in the past years –eventually followed by many– but also and mainly for disobeying acts and regulations of the same European country which guaranteed that they could be elected deputies. From a historical point of view, never has secession been faced simply as a political issue by any sovereign state anywhere at all. Why should the Spanish State do so now?

(*) This blog often uses the word “Iberian” (Ibérico) to denote some ancestral Spanish customs. In the line where it has been pointed, it is used as a synonym for “fond of doing things on one’s way, it doesn’t matter if that way is against the law”. That is exactly the custom that Spain must fight hard to eradicate.