Catalonia, What Ails Thee?!

First of all, let me wish you all a very happy New Year, 2018. It has been almost two months and more since I wrote last! Apologies, here after I promise to be more regular!

I have always been intrigued why Catalonia wants to separate from Spain and become independent. Usually a people who are suppressed, oppressed and undergone human right violations would want to separate from such abusers. But what of Catalonia? It is a developed county, doing very well economically, a rich part of Spain, why would they want to separate?

So I dug deep into their history to learn reasons for these recent developments. I was amazed to discover they have a long history and many historical developments starting from 8^th century.

First, a few words about the place. Catalonia is situated in the north east border of Spain and France. It has a population of 75 million people and 95% of them are Catalan people. Theirs is a prosperous region with highly successful cities like Barcelona, which is also a port.

The Moors, the Muslims invaded and conquered Iberian Peninsula, consisting of today’s Spain and Portugal, in 711 AD. Christian reconquest along the north and eastern coastline began by Franks. Catalan county became the buffer zone between the Christian and Muslim territory known as Marpa Hispanica.

By 9^th century County of Barcelona, a teeming city in Catalan was formed by the efforts of Charlemagne to establish a buffer zone between his Frankish Empire and the Muslim ruled Spain.

In 1131 Ramon Berenguer IV, the Count of Barcelona married Queen Patroilla of Aragon, which united the county with the kingdom of Aragon, but Catalan kept its own trade rights and parliament assuring it’s self rule. Catalan flourished. In 1469 Ferdinand I of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile married uniting their kingdoms to form the Kingdom of Spain.

When Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492 and trade shifted from Mediterranean Sea to Atlantic Sea, Catalan’s fortunes dipped a little. In Reaper’s war in 1640-52, Catalan revolted against the tax policies of Philip IV, king of Spain and declared a republic, with French protection, but was reoccupied by the Spanish troops. So the problem started very much in 17^th century itself.

In the War of Succession of Spanish throne in 1704-14, Catalan supported the rival claimant to the crown, Archduke Charles of Austria of the House of Hapsburg, against King Philip V of the House of Bourbon. When Philip became the king, he took revenge and suppressed Catalan’s rights to independent parliament and trade liberties. Spanish language and laws were imposed on them.

In 1716, decrees were issued dismantling the separate Catalan legal system and bringing it under the direct rule of Madrid, Spain. The administrative use of Catalan language also was abolished.

Napoleon briefly occupied Catalan in 1812-13, and the first Carlist war took place in Catalan during 1808-1833. By the end of 19^th century Catalan speedily industrialized herself and became a rich county and started to experience a cultural renaissance within Spain. Catalan nationalism started to rise too.

In 1931 Spain became a republic and Catalan also was proclaimed as a republic. After negotiations Catalan accepted autonomy within the Spanish State and an autonomous Catalan regional government was created. Modern politics of Catalonia starts from this point onward.

Unfortunately in the Spanish civil war that ensued in 1936, General Francisco Franco came to power and he abolished Catalan autonomy. During his dictatorship extending up to his death in 1975, Catalan was suppressed culturally and administratively.

After 1975, Spain became a democracy and Catalan as granted autonomy, regional government and its own police force and control over its educational system. The political parties in Catalan concentrated on obtaining autonomy rather than independence. But, demands for full independence started to arise in Catalan very soon.

In 2006 the autonomy agreement granted Catalonia the status of a nation within Spain with tax raising powers.  From 2009 to 2011, 550 municipalities in Catalonia voted in favor of the referendum.

The Supreme Court in 2010 ruled that some of the articles of the 2006 Statute of Autonomy were unconstitutional. This sparked off fresh demands for independence and protest erupted all over Catalan region.

In snap elections held in 2012, a pro-independent party won majority and formed government. In 2013, Catalan sovereignty was declared and it was given the freedom to decide its own political future. In 2014 when Catalan government wanted to become independent and conduct a referendum, the Spanish government referred it to the Supreme Court, which turned it down as unconstitutional.

Thereafter the situation steadily declined. On 1 October 2017 a fresh referendum on independence was conducted and 90% of the people said yes to independence. 43% was the turn out. Spain in Madrid wouldn’t accept even conduct of this referendum and sent its police force to prevent it from happening. The excesses of police forces during this referendum tilted the scales. Even those who did not seek separation from Spain wanted to separate now.

On 27.10.2017, when Catalan declared independence, President Mariano Rajoy took direct control of Catalonia, as per Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution. Catalan leaders were arrested for sedition and its President, Carles Puigdemont fled to Belgium. Snap regional poles were ordered on 21.12.2018. The pro-independence parties won majority, albeit narrowly.

Whatever is the outcome of the present embroiligo, it is seen that Catalonia has had a long history of wrestling for independence and compromising for a regional autonomy within the country Spain. Now why is this so?

Apart from having their own language, customs, education, self-rule and such privileges, Catalonia is also a rich region. Economically, 25.6% of exports from Spain are contributed by Catalonia. It contributes to 19% of Spain’s GDP. It accounts for 20% of Spain’s foreign investment. It is a significant part of Spain and Spain cannot afford to lose it.

However, Catalan pays more tax to Madrid, than the other regions, and its riches go to subsidize the poorer regions in Spain. Catalans are tired of subsidizing practically the rest of Spain, while they hardly get equivalent budgetary support from Madrid. No major infrastructural projects have been taken in Catalonia in spite of need. Hence they want to manage their own finances and development, without financially supporting the country, Spain.

Unfortunately, Spain is also one of the few countries, along with Greece, Portugal and Ireland, heavily indebted to European Union, which has imposed heavy austerity measures on the country. Catalans also suffer under these austerity measures and they feel they can manage their affairs better without having to bear the burden of the whole country. In short they want to control their own economy.

Well, what will happen next? No one, especially in European Union wants Spain to be split up. It might trigger similar demands all over Europe.

May be Catalonia will settle down if more fiscal autonomy is granted within the Spanish Constitution, along with political autonomy.

Let’s hope for the best.