Chaos in Catalonia

Catalonia, a semi-autonomous region in Northeastern Spain, has historically been influenced by French culture and customs. It remained independent from Spain until the fifteenth century, when the marriage of King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile united most of the Spanish peninsula. Catalans have always maintained a strong sense of national pride, which only grew stronger in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This increasing national pride was repressed under the rule of the military dictator Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain from 1939 until his death in 1975.

After Franco’s death, Catalonia gradually regained its semi-autonomous status and grew into one of Spain’s wealthiest and most industrialized regions. Even in the modern world, historical and cultural tension exists between Catalans and their Spanish counterparts. Catalonia has its own culture and a language which is more similar to that of France than Spain. Historical rivalries between the Catalan and Spanish governments and the increasing influence of nationalism in Europe have combined to create a Catalan public that is distrustful, and even hostile, towards the Spanish government. This tension has reached a boiling point, with the regional Catalan government holding a referendum on whether or not Catalonia should secede from Spain.

In this point-counterpoint, Opinions writers examine whether or not Catalonia could and should secede from Spain.

Americans are no strangers to the difficulties a fight for independence presents. In 1776, America successfully rebelled against the most powerful nation on Earth and went on to transform itself from a minor country on the world’s hinterlands into a global power. Over two centuries later, history seems to be repeating itself, this time in Spain.

Catalonia, a wealthy region of Spain with a proud history, is currently striving for independence. In what the Spanish government has declared an illegal referendum, Catalans overwhelmingly voted in support of secession in October 2017. Though Catalonia faces a long and arduous path to independence, Spain and the rest of the international community should recognize Catalonia as an independent country.

The underlying justification for the Catalan referendum is a basic right to self determination. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the cornerstone of modern international law, states that “All peoples have the right to self determination; by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.”

Catalonia has the political and cultural traits necessary for independence. It already has its own police force, known as the Mossos d'Esquadra. It has its own flag, Parliament, and healthcare system. Catalonia even has a series of “missions,” which are de facto embassies that promote investment and trade with Catalonia.

Catalonia has its own language and regional culture that many of its citizens feel are not respected by Spain. This tension dates back to the 20th century rule of the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, who banned the Catalan language. In present times, Catalan is spoken by more people than other official EU languages such as Danish and Finnish, but it is still not acknowledged as an official language by Spain.

Despite this, Catalonia, its language, and its culture continue to thrive. Millions of books are written in Catalan every year. People across Spain are familiar with popular media outlets such as El Periódico, Catalunya Radio, and TV3—some of which have been threatened with a takeover by the Spanish government. Catalonia has hundreds of years of history, great cities such as Barcelona, and artists such as Salvador Dali to its name.

Beyond being an idealistic expression of democracy, independence is also a practical solution to the concerns shared by the Catalan people. Catalonia is one of Spain’s wealthiest regions, and it is home to nearly a fifth of its total population, making it larger than four of the EU’s 15 member states. It contributes 19 percent of Spain’s GDP and a fourth of its exports. In 2014, Catalonia paid almost $12 billion more to Spanish tax authorities than it received in government funding. This has enraged many Catalans who feel that they are being forced to “carry” Spain’s economy at their own expense.

If Catalonia were to secede, it would have a GDP of 215 billion euros, larger than that of Greece. Catalonia is a center of tourism, attracting nearly 18 million tourists a year. Its largest city, Barcelona, is Europe’s eighth most visited city. Approximately a third of Catalonia’s population has a college education. These characteristics would lay the groundwork for Catalan economic success. Though the unrest caused by the independence referendum has hurt the Catalan economy in the short term, the long term economic prospects for an independent Catalonia are bright.

In defiance of the Catalan people’s right to self determination, the Spanish government has declared the independence referendum unconstitutional and jailed eight Catalan officials on charges of rebellion and sedition. It is also seeking to arrest Carles Puigdemont, the leader of Catalonia who is currently in Belgium in order to avoid arrest.

The Spanish government’s repression of the voice of the Catalan people and democracy should be condemned by the international community. Its decision to violently attempt to prevent the vote, injuring over 900 civilians, is undemocratic, a throwback to Franco’s brutal dictatorship, and a stark reminder of how vulnerable democracy is.

Due to the chaos and violence surrounding the previous referendum and the subsequently low voter turnout, Spain should allow another independence referendum. This time, it would be legally binding and allow the Catalan people to vote without fear. A BBC analysis found that over 70 percent of Catalans support a referendum. As a democratic government, it is the Spanish state’s duty to give a voice to its constituents, including Catalans. Until the Spanish government permits a legally binding referendum on Catalan independence, it will continue to tarnish its own reputation and that of the democratic world as a whole.