'Goodbye, Spain?'

The Question of Independence for Catalonia

'Goodbye, Spain?' discusses the question of Catalan independence and is fully up-to-date with respect to the most recent elections. Support for independence in the autonomous community of Catalonia has risen significantly since 2005. Opinion polls confirm that the idea of holding a legally binding referendum on independence is now supported by 80 percent of Catalans. Many commentators on nationalism in Western Europe had come to the conclusion that there was no serious threat to the established nation-states from secessionism within their borders. Causes for these striking changes in public sentiment include changes in the Catalan political landscape since 2003, problems of infrastructure, public apathy with the political process, disillusionment with the Spanish government, a rise in anti-Catalan feeling from other Spaniards (and a rise in anti-Spanish feeling among Catalans), the effects of the global financial crisis, and the bumpy ride experienced by Catalonia’s new Statute of Autonomy. One notable change has been a shift in the dominant discourse of Catalan nationalism from concerns regarding language, culture, and identity toward the political and economic welfare of Catalans.