2015-02-14

The sources for the pro-independence movement in Catalonia

The political crisis and the movement for independence in Catalonia are the populistic response to a four-fold crisis shaped at four different time scales. From recent to older:

#1. The economic bubble that burst in 2008, revealing a perverse flow of money in both Spain and Catalonia, an ill policy of public investment, and a systemic corruption affecting most institutions of the State and the main political parties.

#2. A 33-year-old nationalistic regime in Catalonia that has turned a significant percentage of the population into clients of the 'national construction process', with a myriad of institutions and subsidized organizations that have successfully made Spain guilty for all Catalan problems, impeding any social discussion on point #1.

#3. The structural limitations of the democratic system born in 1978, unable to bring transparency to public finance, inducing political parties to fund themselves illegally, demonstrably participating in the black economy, and hindering the accountability of the administrations. An obsolete Ley Electoral has granted the formation of absolute majorities in the parliaments, with no need for negotiation or accountability. Clearly the right broth for #1.

#4. A lack of project for Spain's future, incapable of modernizing its institutions, failing to cope with the people's expectations. The democratic regime after Franco's has simply not satisfied many spaniards in areas such as unemployment, corruption and black economy, and, inversely, many spaniards fail to realise that many of their problems are today common to much of Europe. A failure that only a few saw coming during the happy years in the 2000's. Much of the pro-independence movement is wishful thinking to get rid of that failure, supported by the 33-year-long Catalan supremacism (#2). The catalan pride hides the question as to how would a new Catalan State overcome these structural problems when it is the very same oligarchy that will retain power in that state.  

So far, the main parties in the Parliament have not addressed any of these 4 crises.

Spain, and Catalonia, will overcome the present impasse in the measure that they will address this problems a reach effective solutions that bring the country's institutions closer to western standards. No shortcuts, no bypass.