The article is devoted primarily to the consideration of the problem of Catalan separatism from the point of view of the socio-economic and political instability of the region within Spain. Separatism in general is a pressing issue in the 21st century, and Spanish separatism in particular is a problem that has evolved over the centuries and has plagued the Spanish government to this day.
Keywords: Separatism, Spain, Catalonia, independence, socio-economic factors, political factors
Today, Catalonia is to this day the most troubled region of Spain, because the struggle for independence and the ongoing unrest here only continue to gain momentum and new strength, both political and economic. As one of the country's seventeen autonomous communities and being located in the northeast of the country on the border with France in the north and having direct access to the Mediterranean Sea, Catalonia has its own official language (Catalan), local authorities, flags and law enforcement agencies. The autonomy in the region is so wide that the area even has its own health, education and media systems, different from those in the rest of Spain. But still, the region lacks the paramount attributes of a sovereign state, such as an independent economic or military system, without which the existence of an independent state is impossible.
Since Catalonia has historically been a fairly developed region on the Iberian Peninsula, the economic factor plays a high role in the national identity of the population of the region. Thus, Catalonia was one of the first on the peninsula who managed to join the global process of transition from the traditional stage of development to the industrial one, which allowed this area to be among the leaders in terms of regional welfare.
According to statistics, Catalonia is indeed one of the most important elements of the Spanish economy, contributing in the middle of the second decade of the 21st century more than nineteen percent of the national gross domestic product [3] Among all the internal political entities of Spain, Catalonia is second only to Madrid, the capital of the state, in this indicator. As for the contribution to industrial production, rather significant industrial capacities are concentrated in the Catalonia region, providing a quarter of the country's general industrial production. Moreover, the per capita GDP in the region is the highest in the country among all other regions, provinces and autonomous communities. In addition, Catalonia is the most popular region among tourists coming to Spain.
Considering all the above facts, the Spanish government's investments in the economy of the autonomous community of Catalonia amount to only 8 % of the region's GDP. This state of affairs naturally leads to a situation where the local Catalan government and the population of the region are dissatisfied with the distribution of benefits between the regions, in which the region invests much more in the Spanish economy than it receives from it. Moreover, the Spanish government expresses a negative trend in providing the Catalan region with investments. So, for the period from 2003 to 2015. the total amount of budget funds allocated to the region decreased by 1.5 times.
Attempts to establish a fair distribution of economic resources between regions according to their actual value were made, in particular, for Catalonia in 2006 a new Statute was adopted, according to which a much larger part of the taxes had to go directly to the budget of the region, however, even such a change did not allow the region to gain the same autonomy that is granted to the Basque Country or Navarre.
From a political point of view, an insurmountable barrier to Catalonia's independence is the country's constitution, the second article of which does not allow the division of the Spanish nation: “The constitution is based on the inviolable unity of the Spanish Nation, the common and indivisible Fatherland of all Spaniards; it recognizes and guarantees the right to autonomy for the nationalities and regions that make it up and the solidarity between them [4].” This means that the population of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia is the same as in all other areas of Spain, therefore, does not have the opportunity to destroy the integrity and unity of the Kingdom and the nation.
Despite this, a political majority prevails in the local parliament of the region, which advocates the separation of the region from the Kingdom of Spain and gaining independence. Moreover, at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, a series of unofficial referendums were held in the region, as a result of which more than ninety percent of the population voted for an independent Catalonia.
In 2010, Catalan separatism is gaining support in the form of political forces represented in the region. Thus, the Convergence and Union party, which represents the independence of the region as the main landmark, wins the regional elections. This political unit has become quite popular among the population of Catalonia, which yearns to represent its interests at the highest levels.
In 2011, protest unrest began in Barcelona and Catalonia, various movements were organized. The riots continue into 2012, with numerous protests and slogans throughout Catalonia that Catalonia should become a newly formed, independent and sovereign state in Europe.
In 2013–2014 a referendum was planned that would determine the fate of the region, based on the adopted Declaration of Sovereignty of Catalonia. However, the official referendum failed to take place and acquired the format of a poll (consultation), in which the majority, although they voted for the separation of the region from Spain, this poll had no legal force [1].
However, it should be borne in mind that although in the survey the vast majority expressed an opinion about the secession of the region, no more than 40 % of the population took part in it, which raises the problem of the failure of the “consultation” for the local authorities of Catalonia, because such a small number of people, according to many politicians, cannot decide the fate of an entire region and country.
The situation of inequality in the country is getting even bigger: more than 50 % of the region's budget goes to the central budget, and the Spanish government's investments in Catalonia, as noted above, only decreased. In this regard, a budget deficit begins to appear in Catalonia: almost 3 % of the region's GDP [2, P. 7], which is why the level of debt is growing. Discontent and anxiety are growing among the population, slogans appear that express the current mood of the local population: they express indignation and indignation, saying that “Spain is robbing them” and expressing a desire to stop feeding the so-called “Spanish center”.
The Spanish Ministry of Finance confirms that Catalonia is the only region that gets much less economic benefits than it gives to the rest of the country. At the same time, the region has not received special rights that the Basque Country and Navarre have.
References:
- Consulta 9N. El 81 % de la consulta alternativa, 1,8 millones, apoyan la independencia de Cataluña. RTVE. [Recurso Digital]. URL: http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20141110/81-votantes-consulta-del-9n-18-millones-apoyan-independencia-cataluna/1045120.shtml
- Déficit de las AA. PP. / Ministerio de Hacienda y administraciones públicas. Gobierno de España, Madrid, 2015. — P. 7
- Dolya Katalonii v VVP Ispanii za proshly`j god sostavila 19 % [Catalonia's share of Spain's GDP last year was 19 %] // Spain in Russian. — 2017. — URL: https://espanarusa.com/ru/news/article/609643 (Date of access: 20.04.2022)
- Ispanskaya Konstituciya [Spanish Constitution] // Embassy of Spain in Russia. — URL: http://vivovoco.astronet.ru/VV/LAW/SPAIN.HTM#11 (Date of access: 20.04.2022)
