For a long time, the threat of “independence” was Jordi Pujol’s method of getting more concessions out of Madrid. But there has always, since the days of Esquerra Republicana and even before, been a powerful radical leftist influence in this, and many of them even dream of making Catalonia the next (Communist) Albania. I dont know why they’d want to be like that wretched, unsuccessful place, except that it was the most despotic and closed of the Soviet bloc countries.
Catalonia was completely controlled by the Soviets and Barcelona was the scene of some of the ugliest acts of the Spanish Civil War, committed by a combination of the Soviets and native Catalan communists and anrchists. These people never entirely went away and have revived, especially now that they’ve gotten together with Podemos.
In any case, one thing they never mention is the flip side, which is that Catalonia receives more government money per capita than any region in Spain. (Probably thanks to Jordi Pujols, who is now on trial for tax evasion.)
Also, speculation is that if it does become independent, it will soon become a Muslim enclave, since it already has the highest Muslim population in Spain. Friends of mine who live there are really afraid right now.
We’ll be in Barcelona in the middle of October for 6 days, staying in the Gothic Quarter right off of the Ramblas. We’re not afraid and if we were we wouldn’t go. We live in Almunecar, almost 1000 km away from Barcelona and in a different province but if things got ugly and we were afraid we would leave there also. I can’t imagine that if things got bad your friends wouldn’t have plenty of warning and time to hit the road. They should probably be preparing now just in case.
The Catalans forgot that regardless of how much industry they had, their food was primarily grown elsewhere and you can’t fight a war without it. They remind me of NYC libs...