About Catalonia, a Historical Nation

I'm a Catalan, l live in Figueres, in the Empordà, a fantastic land in the northern part of Catalonia. I'm proud to say that I'm Catalan, which is always difficult to explain to foreigners. I speak Catalan, Spanish, English and French, I consider myself European, and I want to contribute to a better world for my daughters, a world built upon respect for nature and all the peoples in the world. In this article I'll try to briefly explain who we are and what are our aspirations, hoping not to offend anyone or create any controversy.

Where is Catalonia? Our small country is located in Old Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea. It's a land with a long history. In the past this country was the largest nation in the area. The geographical position between France and Spain, along with a long Mediterranean coastline, make it a strategic land. Can you locate us in the map? Or are you still lost? Our capital city is Barcelona. Is at this moment when many foreigners ask "Spain?". No, not Spain; Catalonia. Then people exclaim "a region of Spain". No, not a region; we are a nation, an ancient nation called Catalonia.

What's a nation?

A nation may refer to a community of people who share acommon language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government (for example the inhabitants of a sovereign state) irrespective of their ethnic make-up. In international relations, nation can refer to a country or sovereign state. The United Nations, for instance, speaks of how it was founded after the Second World War by “51 countries” and currently has 193 member states.

Catalonia is a community of people who share a common language—Catalan, a large culture, one ethnicity, and a old history. Many Catalans live also scattered around the world. Under these parameters it is clear that Catalonia is a nation, but not a sovereign state, because today it is officially part of Spain.

Today Catalonia is an Autonomous Community in Spain, with its own government and its institutions. At this times, the majority of Catalans want independence (as the latest polls revealed). Why?

In recent years, the hostility has grown due to the clearly discriminatory treatment received from the Spanish government. Every year 22,000 million Euros from Catalonia go to Spain never to return to the community, which represents an unparalleled plundering in all Europe. But that's not all. Spain is systematically damaging the interests of the Catalans.

For instance, they enhance the Madrid airport while leaving Barcelona as a second-level destination and airport; they invest very little in Catalonia and at a very slow pace, which heavily affects its infrastructures; they constantly attack the use of the Catalan language, and still claim that only a few stingy and unsupportive Catalans complain.

The current Catalan government has proposed to end this and asked for an Economic Agreement between Spain and Catalonia, but that's something Spain does not want to hear or speak about.

Catalans are a people of peace, very patient, peaceful, lovers of the good life, and very wise. We are a small nation, but with deep roots, we like agreements, to negotiate and arrive in good agreement, but Spain does not want to talk or negotiate, only wants to dominate and exploit. Until when?

The Catalan people has the right to a vote in a referendum on independence, but the Spanish government categorically refused to allow such an event to take place.

Many Catalans love Spain, but that does not mean we don't want independence and are committed to this. Democracy is that the people decide their fate. The day we have a referendum, the people will choose "goodbye Spain".

Manel Rodríguez Plana

Economist, Writer

Read other Citizens' Voice articles