This article contends that the boundaries of Spain, like those of other European nations, have been shaped mostly by conflict and conquest rather than by democratic processes. The writer claims that the Spanish government has long resisted federalism, in the process thwarting the desires of the Catalan people. Therefore, argues the author, Catalonia’s secession effort springs most directly not from Catalan cultural identity, but from the central government’s failure to embrace federalism. Read more here.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of the Center for the Study of Federalism.
