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Most people in Catalonia don't really want independence, what they want is a fairer process regarding taxation and finance. Madrid's refusal to do so is what is causing a surge in support for independence. With this is mind why can't Spain simply just adopt a federal system of government that would allow Catalonia, the Basque Country, and other regions a greater level of autonomy while keeping the Spanish nation intact?
It's a no brainer. Federalism has worked pretty well in the US, Australia, Switzerland, etc. I don't understand why people in Spain and the UK are so pig headed and clinging to an outdated, highly centralized system of government to the detriment of their national unity.
Most people in Catalonia don't really want independence, what they want is a fairer process regarding taxation and finance. Madrid's refusal to do so is what is causing a surge in support for independence. With this is mind why can't Spain simply just adopt a federal system of government that would allow Catalonia, the Basque Country, and other regions a greater level of autonomy while keeping the Spanish nation intact?
It's a no brainer. Federalism has worked pretty well in the US, Australia, Switzerland, etc. I don't understand why people in Spain and the UK are so pig headed and clinging to an outdated, highly centralized system of government to the detriment of their national unity.
The US and Australia are countries made of a patchwork of immigrants who linked together mainly by a common goal, personal prosperity, rather than a shared national/cultural identity.
Spain is already a federalist country, Catalonia and the Basque country enjoy a certain degree of autonomy. Them wanting independence is not a threat to Spanish nation for the only reason that there is no such thing as a Spanish nation.
I am fed up with these group of Catalonians with a superiority complex. Their government only spend money doing publicity about independence, building unnescesaary embassies and so on, their hospitals and trains are old because they spend all the money pretending to be independent and then España nos roba "Spain steal us"
I am always reading "Andalusians can't speak properly, and their intelligence levels are lower" "Extremeños are poor and old fashioned" "Castilians never study a foreign language" they think they are the best in the world and their attitud toward others is desprectful.
This is the reality INSIDE Spain. So I do not mind their independence but please, out of the EU and out of all Spanish privileges. I am sorry about the good Catalonias who respect others.
I was a bit surprised by the outcome. Over the last seven years or so I have had to spend quite a bit of time in Barcelona, and, thus, I have come to know as acquaintances a couple of dozen Catalans (and they are Catalans not people who came there from other parts of Spain.) None of these are for independence, though some have specific grievances they want to see addressed by Madrid.
I guess my acquaintances do not represent a wide enough spread of the Catalan population, and perhaps the fact that they are all living in the Barcelona area is another factor. The most professionally successful of these people volunteered that if Catalans declared independence on that day he would accept one of the frequent job offers he receives establishments in Madrid. The young woman I know best said, "I don't want to live in an ultra-nationalist cul-de-sac of Europe, and I do not want to raise my child in one."
Nothing out of the blue, Catalonia has declared independence three or four times in a century, there has been two large wars, but Castilians have been better fighters during the last 500 years.
There was other option contemplated in 1640, becoming part of France...but it turned out to be that they were 100 more jacobin than Castilians.
Concluding, Independence is just make believe to enlarge Madrid's ulcer. They deserve it.
During the coming months, we will see Catalan politicians playing "la p.uta i la Ramoneta" (talking not clearly, in riddles, bu.ll****ting...) with Madrid....but I think that they won't pay them much attention.
Last edited by humming100; 09-28-2015 at 07:07 AM..
I am fed up with these group of Catalonians with a superiority complex. Their government only spend money doing publicity about independence, building unnescesaary embassies and so on, their hospitals and trains are old because they spend all the money pretending to be independent and then España nos roba "Spain steal us"
I am always reading "Andalusians can't speak properly, and their intelligence levels are lower" "Extremeños are poor and old fashioned" "Castilians never study a foreign language" they think they are the best in the world and their attitud toward others is desprectful.
This is the reality INSIDE Spain. So I do not mind their independence but please, out of the EU and out of all Spanish privileges. I am sorry about the good Catalonias who respect others.
Catbelle
If you read any 150 year old romance or "novelas por entregas", that were novels read by very humble people that bought section (fasciculos) that were later bound into books......you will find the same folklorical and "costumbrista" prejudices that were always part of the popular culture.
"Andalusians can't speak properly" (Castilians say that all the time), "Castilians never study a foreign language...(Larra..Machado), Catalans are scroungy as hell, Catalans invented the wire when they found a coin, etc.
Those folkoric opinions exist in every country, for example, France and Belgium.
Catalonian respect others much more than say, Asturians, and their prejudices against all their neighbours, etc, etc, etc.
I think any people should be allowed to split from a country if certain historic conditions are met.
If Catalans want to have their own country, why not? The pc notion that countries have to remain in their current borders forever is absurd. A lot of countries are not ideal in terms of borders, and there should be a civilized alternative to civil wars.
Why reunification? It never was united. Humans have always liked to be form separate groups and think they are better than all the others. Lots of other species do the same. It's hard to tell animals they can't be territorial anymore. And unfortunately we are still similar in that respect.
Really, after 2000 years, we never had it better, so independency is just negotiation.
Last edited by humming100; 09-28-2015 at 11:57 AM..
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