Independence for Catalonia : a look back on a year of disillusionment

Very surprised to see so many upfront mistakes in the article and unrigorous statements. Just some examples.

– Catalonia was not independent before « Barcelona fell to Phillip V of Spain » in 1714. Until 1700, the Habsburg dinasty ruled in the kingdoms of Spain (Spain as a political entity did not exist, but it was composed of several kingdoms, basically Castille, the Crown of Aragon, which was composed of several kingdoms). Catalan teritories belonged to the Crown of Aragon and they were not even a kingdom. In 1700, Carlos II, an Habsburg king ruling in Spain, died without offspring. An European war broke up between the two main european royal houses, the Habsburg (Germanic) and the Borbon (French). The war was finally won by the Borbon dinasty so Phillip d'Anjou, nephew of the French King Louis XIV, was appointed as King of Spain under the name of Phillip V. The point is that the Catalan nobles had provided support to the Habsburg candidate during the war so the new king punished and they lost their privileges. In addition, Philip V set a unified scheme in Spain (adopting the French model and abolishing most of the governing bodies and laws of the different territories of Spain. The most important thing to be understood is that this was an European war, not a Spanish civil war, and it had nothing to do with the independence of Catalonia.

– In Spain there are 17, and not 27, Autonomous Communities. In addition, according to the text it seems that they were set when Phillip V ruled in Spain, in the first half of eighteenth Century. But this is not the case. The Autonomous Communities were set from 1978 (some of them few years after this date), when the current Spanish Constitution was passed and entered into force.- « Unionists » use to claim that Catalonia has never been independent. This is almost true but not exact. in 1640 a rebel broke out in Catalonia against Castillian but also against Catalan nobles. This had the effect that Catalan Republic (sic) was declared. However, its ruling leader, Pau Claris approacehd to the French Crown to seek protection so Catalonia fell under French sovereignity. However, 1n 1652 the rebellion was finally suffocated, France and Spain signed the « Peace of Pyrenees » Treaty and Catalonia turned back to be under the King of the Spanish territories, except a part of the territory called « Roselló » which has remained until nowadays part of the French territory.

– There is a controversy about if the term « political prisoners » can be used to refer to the pro independence leaders. In fact, according to the main Human Rights organizations, they are not political prisoners and in Spain the rule of law is applied, although some of these organizations have complained about the fact that they are still in prison even if they have not been judged and said that this is an unjustified situation. The author should be more careful when using this term because she may be adopting the language of one of the parties involved.

Independence for Catalonia : a look back on a year of disillusionment - commentaires

Independence for Catalonia : a look back on a year of disillusionment