Spanish Nationalism (1)

This is the first of a series of posts about the Spanish nationalism. It caused the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and is one of the pillars of Franco’s 40-years-long fascist dictatorship, which ended only after his death (1975).

The very Spanish constitution nowadays states that the army is the guarantee of the “indissoluble unity” of the only and unique Spanish nation, a direct threat to both the aspirations of the Basque Country and Catalonia and the basic principles of international law.

This hatred against those who, they think, should be and speak Spanish, can be traced back many centuries. The following are not just mere anecdotes but examples of the nationalist message that for so many years has reached the Spanish population:

Now that we have assimilated you and you won’t need to spend money fighting us back, it seems reasonable that you pay us taxes

–Spanish Prime Minister, 1625, after military occupation of Catalonia

The Catalans are monstrous abortion of politics. [...] These people, naturally so contagious, this plague-stricken province with these people; this maze of privilege, this chaos called county jurisdictions [...]

For as long as there is a single Catalan left in Catalonia, and stones in the empty fields, we will have enemy and war.

–Francisco de Quevedo, prominent writer during the Golden Century of Spanish literature, 1640

Is well known the obstinacy and barbarism of this criminal people (Catalonia).

–Spanish Prime Minister, 1715, just after conquering Catalonia and abolishing its institutions, Constitutions, customs, language, culture...

We should not choose weak and less effective means, but the most robust and likely to delete from the memory of the Catalans anything that might conform to their old and abolished constitutions, laws, rights and customs.

–Spanish Council, 1715.

Each of them (viceroys) must observe, obey and execute, and make observe, enforce and implement timely and effectively my Real Resolution [...] that once and for all, all the languages are to be extinguished [..] and only Spanish is to be spoken, as is commanded by repeated royal decrees and issued orders

–Charles III, King of Spain, 1770.

Continue reading:
Spanish Nationalism (2).
Spanish Nationalism (3)
Spain seeks to Destroy Catalan Educational System
The Violation of the Right of Self Determination
Anothe attack agains the Catalan People