What is going on in Catalonia?

1. What is going on in Catalonia?

2. What is Catalonia? • It is an autonomous region in Northeastern Spain with a distinct culture and language • Its capital is Barcelona, which is the 2nd biggest city in Spain • It has been under the control of Spain (and at one point, France) for centuries • After the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) the Dictator Francisco Franco banned the Catalan language • But for the last few decades Catalonia has been regaining a lot of autonomy

3. What is the difference between Spanish and Catalan? • Catalonia has its own government, police force, national anthem, language and culture • Citizens have used aspects of the regions cultural history as acts of protest; such as the castles—called castellers—or human towers in favor of independence throughout Europe or the “Via Catalana” on September 11, 2013.

4. Two Separate Languages • They are both Romance languages so they have many similarities • But they are as different as Spanish and Portuguese • Catalan is often closer to French than Spanish • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh4D2QtfCjM Difference between Spanish and Catalan languages

5. Catalan Was Banned In Spain Until As Recently As 1975 • In an attempt to promote a universal Spanish nationality, General Franco banned all other languages apart from Spanish from being used within Spain. • As a result of the ban • no newborns were allowed to be given Catalan names • streets and monuments with Catalan names were given Spanish names instead • all television, film and music was to be produced in Spanish • speaking Catalan in public was severely frowned upon and even punished.

6. Independence Movement • The holding of a referendum on separation was banned by the Spanish Parliament in 2014 • On October 1, 2017, Catalan held a referendum on independence, in which 90% of the participants voted in favor of the secession of Catalonia • But then the Spanish government deemed the referendum illegal

7. Independence Movement • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__mZkioPp3E Catalonia’s Independence Movement Explained, Vox, 5:43

8. Referendum • It was held on October 1st, 2017 • But the Spanish government deemed it illegal; it is against the Spanish constitution

9. Spain Doesn’t Want to Let Go • Catalonia is an important region for Spain in terms of its tourism and strong economy • it accounts for 20% of Spain’s total economy • Because it’s such a wealthy region, the residents are paying way more taxes than the rest of the country

10. Spain doesn’t want to support an independence movement because it could literally break up the country • If Catalans get independence, then why can’t the Basques? • The Spanish government wants to block the referendum because they think that this decision ought to involve all Spanish people, not only the Catalans.

11. In Part Due to Economic Crisis • These many independent movements are influenced by the recent economic crisis • This economic crisis has produced waves of populism and nationalism • People are afraid. They are uncertain. So they think if they close themselves off in small communities they will be protected. • A Catalonian politician said: “In other countries they say everything is the fault of Europe. Here in Catalonia they say everything is the fault of Spain.”

12. What Triggered It? • Spain’s harsh economic crisis certainly played a key role. • The collapse of a decade-long construction boom was followed by a protracted recession, mass unemployment, austerity and a banking crisis — dealing a brutal blow to millions of Spaniards and to their faith in the country’s leaders and institutions. • Like other wealthy Spanish regions, Catalonia is obliged to transfer a sizeable share of its tax revenues to financially weaker parts of the country. Just how much it loses is a matter of fierce dispute but even conservative estimates put it at close to €10bn a year.

13. Who Wants Independence? • Polls suggest that the number of Catalans who feel both Catalan and Spanish is shrinking over time; the younger generation, who have been schooled in Catalan and often have less contact with the rest of Spain than their parents, are among the most enthusiastic backers of independence.

14. Many Think It Won’t Work • You can’t simply hold a referendum and proclaim independence — a state has to be recognised by the UN. • The EU won’t accept Catalonia because allowing the disintegration of a country would only increase nationalism elsewhere • Without recognition Catalan would be just like the Western Sahara, or Palestine, or Northern Cyprus.

15. Other Independence Movements • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl-f54YNYEE 4:32 • https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2017/oct/27/beyond-catalonia-pro-independence-movements-in-europe-map Info on all these movements