"Catalan Crisis" by Hannah H.
Over the past few months, the stance of Catalonia and whether the autonomous region has gained independence or not has been the question of every Spaniard. An autonomous region can be defined as an area within a state that has a high degree of self-government and freedom from its parent state. According to the vote the Catalans just took, the answer is yes. Out of the 2.2 million people that voted, 90% said they wanted to be an independent country. The only holdup: the Spanish government. Not only have they imprisoned the leaders of the region, but the government has also refused to grant independence and sent the message that Spain, under no circumstances, would ever prevent this breakaway. The big question now is: What will happen next?
Many wonder how this started. Catalonia has been linked with Spain since its start in the 15th century when the land became united after the marriage of King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castille. All was well until the 19th century when the first whisper of separatism and a renewed sense of identity arose from the area. After Spain became a republic in 1931, the once held independence faded when General Francisco Franco and his right-wing power took over. He gained power during the Spanish Civil War. Many Catalans were on the losing side and suffered for almost four decades afterward. The Catalonian culture was faded out, and the use of the language was heavily restricted. When Franco died, a democratic rule in Spain emerged. Catalonia started its parliament and the partial government called the Generalitat. Catalonia started the slow process of modernization and opened up to foreign markets. The culture that once had been subdued was restored.
Fast forward to 2008. The Great Spanish Depression hit. Multiple things all happened at once to cause this including a dramatic drop in housing prices, rising labor costs, and a large overspending problem. Barcelona was the least affected by this and was left to sustain and support the rest of Spain. The Catalan regional government president, Artur Mas said, “Catalonia normally represents 20% of their (Spain) market.” In 2014, Mas held a symbolic vote on whether or not to break away from Spain. 81% voted yes, but Spain said that the vote was illegal and would not be recognized. In 2015, all parties that supported independence won the majority in the regional elections. In October, history repeated itself. Spain has taken bigger measures this time by imprisoning the Catalan leaders and issuing warrants for some of the ministers. Some have fled to Belgium and are afraid to return. This issue has escalated tremendously.
Catalonia is not the only place to see this take place. In recent years, Hong Kong’s independence has been a big topic of discussion. During 2011, a book was published that first brought up the idea of being an independent city-state. Young pro-independence activists have emerged and angered the President of China Xi Jinping. In July, he said, “Any attempt to endanger China’s sovereignty and security, ... or use Hong Kong to carry out infiltration and sabotage activities against the mainland is an act that crosses the red line.” It has gone so far that if a secondary teacher advocates independence, they will immediately be fired. The controversy has reached colleges, and the students have been voicing their opinions by using signs and banners. Some leaders like Junius Ho have gone as far to say that pro-independence protesters should be “killed and treated without mercy” during a speech.
In the Middle East, the land has been fought over for many years. It all started in the late 19th century with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Inside there were at least ten different groups that all wanted to have their own state. The Jewish people believed they needed to be a completely separate place than everyone else and this became known as Zionism. In 1917, the British government issued the Balfour Declaration that says, “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” It turned out the British weren’t being truthful in that statement because, in a meeting with the French, they secretly planned to keep the land after World War I. They tried to honor the Balfour Declaration, and for the next 15 years, the Jewish population increased by over 300,000. In 1936 the Arabs revolted against the British. The British formed the Peel Commission to think of solutions. They gave the Arabs 80% of the land, but the group refused. In November 1947, Israel was declared a state by the United Nations; it partitioned the territory between the Jews and the Palestinians. The next day, the Palestines, along with all of the neighboring countries including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon waged war on the Jewish people. Surprisingly, the Jews won. An armistice was signed, and the Jewish people received 30% more land. Jordan controlled the West Bank, and Egypt had the Gaza Strip. Many Palestinians fled to surrounding Arab countries. Nothing changed territorially for 18 years. Then war broke out again in 1967. After a stunning victory from the Six-Day War, the Jewish officials weren’t sure what to do with all of the lands. They proposed to give it to the local Palestinians. Three months later Palestinian officials met in Sudan and agreed “No peace with Israel. No recognition of Israel. No negotiations with Israel.” In 2002, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestine’s Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat met at Camp David. Barak offered a generous amount of land including 94% of the Gaza Strip. Arafat said no. After this, over 1,000 Jews were murdered by suicide bombers. Finally, in 2008, even more land was offered including all of East Jerusalem. Once again, the answer was no. Ever since then there have been conflicts between the groups. The Jews just want to be recognized as a Jewish state and have peace, but the Palestinians refuse. Jewish leaders have made five offers of land and goods, and every time they are met with the same response.
Many other smaller independence movements have been going on around the globe, past, and present. In Quebec, Canada, a vote for independence lost only by a few votes. In 1995, the “no” vote won with 50.58%. Quebec is a unique part of Canada, and the people feel alienated from their French roots. In Germany, Bavaria has often considered becoming independent because, like Catalonia, this region holds most of the wealth in Germany. This increase of wealth gives the area a political advantage that the people don’t want to give up. In 2014, Scotland held an independence referendum to sever ties with the United Kingdom. The desire for more power has led a wish of separation of the Faroe Islands which is located 800 miles away from Copenhagen, who partially govern them. Before World War I, South Tyrel belonged to Austria. The people feel very connected to Germany because of their language and roots, but Italy rules them. Farther down in the country, Lombardy and Veneto have a scheduled vote for greater power to be given to them. All of these autonomous regions are similar to Catalonia but on a much smaller scale.
In Spain, there are other things that people should be concerned with than independence movements. Terrorism is on the rise, and many people believe that it has gotten worse because everyone is preoccupied with the recent political field. France’s Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, said, “Catalan politicians divided by the independence crisis must put aside internal disputes to tackle the growth of Salafist jihadism before there are further attacks in the region.” The terrorist groups have chosen Catalonia has a housing area for extremism. The terrorists are people very integrated into the country and blend in with other Moroccan Catalans. There has also been a rise in domestic violence. On Tuesday, police investigated the death of a 55-year-old man who was killed outside of a bar for wearing the Spanish flag. Since 2012, Catalonia has had the highest number of anti-terrorist arrests of any Spanish territory. With terrorism and domestic violence on the rise, government officials need to do something to prevent any more deaths.
Everyone is waiting in anticipation for the election of a new regional parliament on December 21. This election could determine the future of Catalonia and even Europe as a whole. Valls speculates that the Basque country, the French Basque or Northern Italy could follow Catalonia in a quest for independence. He warns that “It’s not just a problem for Spain, it’s a problem for Europe. We are a federation of nation states, and if Spain destroys itself, it’s a terrible signal for the rest of Europe in a moment of tensions with Brexit, with populism, with Russia.” There is much at stake coming up in the next few weeks. There will be consequences for either outcome in the country. Can pro-independence activists accept that Catalonia might always be a part of Spain? What will happen to Spain’s economy if the country is left by itself? Will any other European regions follow behind if Catalonia separates? In a week the fate of millions of citizens will rest in the hands of the newly elected parliament.
Catalans show their support of independence by protesting
Many wonder how this started. Catalonia has been linked with Spain since its start in the 15th century when the land became united after the marriage of King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castille. All was well until the 19th century when the first whisper of separatism and a renewed sense of identity arose from the area. After Spain became a republic in 1931, the once held independence faded when General Francisco Franco and his right-wing power took over. He gained power during the Spanish Civil War. Many Catalans were on the losing side and suffered for almost four decades afterward. The Catalonian culture was faded out, and the use of the language was heavily restricted. When Franco died, a democratic rule in Spain emerged. Catalonia started its parliament and the partial government called the Generalitat. Catalonia started the slow process of modernization and opened up to foreign markets. The culture that once had been subdued was restored.
Fast forward to 2008. The Great Spanish Depression hit. Multiple things all happened at once to cause this including a dramatic drop in housing prices, rising labor costs, and a large overspending problem. Barcelona was the least affected by this and was left to sustain and support the rest of Spain. The Catalan regional government president, Artur Mas said, “Catalonia normally represents 20% of their (Spain) market.” In 2014, Mas held a symbolic vote on whether or not to break away from Spain. 81% voted yes, but Spain said that the vote was illegal and would not be recognized. In 2015, all parties that supported independence won the majority in the regional elections. In October, history repeated itself. Spain has taken bigger measures this time by imprisoning the Catalan leaders and issuing warrants for some of the ministers. Some have fled to Belgium and are afraid to return. This issue has escalated tremendously.
Catalonia is not the only place to see this take place. In recent years, Hong Kong’s independence has been a big topic of discussion. During 2011, a book was published that first brought up the idea of being an independent city-state. Young pro-independence activists have emerged and angered the President of China Xi Jinping. In July, he said, “Any attempt to endanger China’s sovereignty and security, ... or use Hong Kong to carry out infiltration and sabotage activities against the mainland is an act that crosses the red line.” It has gone so far that if a secondary teacher advocates independence, they will immediately be fired. The controversy has reached colleges, and the students have been voicing their opinions by using signs and banners. Some leaders like Junius Ho have gone as far to say that pro-independence protesters should be “killed and treated without mercy” during a speech.
In the Middle East, the land has been fought over for many years. It all started in the late 19th century with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Inside there were at least ten different groups that all wanted to have their own state. The Jewish people believed they needed to be a completely separate place than everyone else and this became known as Zionism. In 1917, the British government issued the Balfour Declaration that says, “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” It turned out the British weren’t being truthful in that statement because, in a meeting with the French, they secretly planned to keep the land after World War I. They tried to honor the Balfour Declaration, and for the next 15 years, the Jewish population increased by over 300,000. In 1936 the Arabs revolted against the British. The British formed the Peel Commission to think of solutions. They gave the Arabs 80% of the land, but the group refused. In November 1947, Israel was declared a state by the United Nations; it partitioned the territory between the Jews and the Palestinians. The next day, the Palestines, along with all of the neighboring countries including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon waged war on the Jewish people. Surprisingly, the Jews won. An armistice was signed, and the Jewish people received 30% more land. Jordan controlled the West Bank, and Egypt had the Gaza Strip. Many Palestinians fled to surrounding Arab countries. Nothing changed territorially for 18 years. Then war broke out again in 1967. After a stunning victory from the Six-Day War, the Jewish officials weren’t sure what to do with all of the lands. They proposed to give it to the local Palestinians. Three months later Palestinian officials met in Sudan and agreed “No peace with Israel. No recognition of Israel. No negotiations with Israel.” In 2002, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestine’s Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat met at Camp David. Barak offered a generous amount of land including 94% of the Gaza Strip. Arafat said no. After this, over 1,000 Jews were murdered by suicide bombers. Finally, in 2008, even more land was offered including all of East Jerusalem. Once again, the answer was no. Ever since then there have been conflicts between the groups. The Jews just want to be recognized as a Jewish state and have peace, but the Palestinians refuse. Jewish leaders have made five offers of land and goods, and every time they are met with the same response.
In Spain, there are other things that people should be concerned with than independence movements. Terrorism is on the rise, and many people believe that it has gotten worse because everyone is preoccupied with the recent political field. France’s Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, said, “Catalan politicians divided by the independence crisis must put aside internal disputes to tackle the growth of Salafist jihadism before there are further attacks in the region.” The terrorist groups have chosen Catalonia has a housing area for extremism. The terrorists are people very integrated into the country and blend in with other Moroccan Catalans. There has also been a rise in domestic violence. On Tuesday, police investigated the death of a 55-year-old man who was killed outside of a bar for wearing the Spanish flag. Since 2012, Catalonia has had the highest number of anti-terrorist arrests of any Spanish territory. With terrorism and domestic violence on the rise, government officials need to do something to prevent any more deaths.
Everyone is waiting in anticipation for the election of a new regional parliament on December 21. This election could determine the future of Catalonia and even Europe as a whole. Valls speculates that the Basque country, the French Basque or Northern Italy could follow Catalonia in a quest for independence. He warns that “It’s not just a problem for Spain, it’s a problem for Europe. We are a federation of nation states, and if Spain destroys itself, it’s a terrible signal for the rest of Europe in a moment of tensions with Brexit, with populism, with Russia.” There is much at stake coming up in the next few weeks. There will be consequences for either outcome in the country. Can pro-independence activists accept that Catalonia might always be a part of Spain? What will happen to Spain’s economy if the country is left by itself? Will any other European regions follow behind if Catalonia separates? In a week the fate of millions of citizens will rest in the hands of the newly elected parliament.
Works Cited
Badcock, Harriet Alexander; James. “Why Does Catalonia Want Independence from Spain?”The
Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 5 Oct. 2017,
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/does-catalonia-want-independence-spain/.
Brog, David, director. Why Isn't There a Palestinian State. Prageru,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=76 tvQA 0.
“Catalonia's Bid for Independence from Spain Explained.” BBC News, BBC, 4 Dec. 2017,
www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29478415.
“Catalonia crisis: What next for Spain?” BBC News, BBC, 2 Nov. 2017,
“Catalonia Region Profile.” BBC News, BBC, 30 Oct. 2017,
“Catalonia Vote: Pro-Independence Parties Win Elections.” BBC News, BBC, 28 Sept. 2015,
Dawa, Tracy. “Human Geography Chapter 9.” Quizlet,
quizlet.com/239409752/human-geography-chapter-9-flash-cards/.
Donadio, Rachel. “Catalans Can't Agree on What Independence Means.” The Atlantic, Atlantic
Media Company, 8 Dec. 2017,
Green, John, director. Conflict in Israel and Palestine. World History, Crash Course,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wo2TLlMhiw .
Knight, Laurence. “Spanish Economy: What Is to Blame for Its Problems?” BBC News, BBC, 18
Noack, Rick. “Analysis | Europe Has Plenty of Secessionist Movements like Catalonia. Most
Don't Want Full Independence, Though.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 11 Oct. \
Strange, Hannah. “Catalan Independence Dispute Is Allowing Terrorism to Breed, Warns Former
French Prime Minister.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 13 Dec. 2017, www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/13/catalan-independence-dispute-allowing-terrorism-breed-warns/.
“The Contemporary Government of Catalonia (20th and 21st Centuries).” Government of
Catalonia, web.gencat.cat/en/generalitat/historia/historia_4/.
Torode, Greg, et al. “Hong Kong Leader Demands End of Independence Talk, Warns Ties with
Bei.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 19 Sept. 2017, www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-politics/hong-kong-leader-demands-end-of-independence-talk-warns-ties-with-beijing-at-risk-idUSKCN1BU0GY.
“Why All the Fuss about Hong Kong Independence?” South China Morning Post, 7 Sept. 2017,
www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2110059/explain-why-all-fuss-about-hong-kong-independence.
Hannah, I really liked how many other examples you put in, it was really helpful because it was easier to understand that way. It was very well written and I feel informed.
ReplyDeleteI've got one word: wow! You did an outstanding job. This was a little lengthy but it's worth the read because of all this great information you present to your readers. I knew a bit about the Catalan situation but I definitely know more now. Also, you included some good photos!
ReplyDeleteProbably the worst one ever. J.K. Hannah you're an amazing writer and this just further solidified that. The Catalonian crisis and the fighting between Israel and Palestine are both major issues that could turn violent any second so your article really helped me understand why these nations want o be separate states and why the states refuse their separatism. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed that you even wrote this much and found this much relevant inf o about it. It's planned out exceptionally and had a really good flow to the topic. I enjoyed this topic and I'm in full support that they gain independence and continue to strive. Amazing job.
ReplyDelete