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This essay deals with the question of whether Catalonia should have the right to self-determination. Nationalism is something to which every nation is entitled to, especially if that is what the people of that homeland want and have voted for. It cannot be denied if referendums and laws have been put in place to fight for this independence. Self-determination can also lead to a number of benefits including wealth, lower crime rates and the end of a battle against the government. It can create a state of like-minded people who care about the interests of each other. With all these added incentives, it is impossible to argue that a state such as Catalonia should not gain independence from its government.
A nation is a group of people that share certain objective characteristics and beliefs to the extent that it forms its own community ( Theiler, 2017). Sometimes the state feels as if it should have the right to determine its own future and control its government. This is known as self-determination and has occurred in Catalonia in the country of Spain. Halliday (2017) stated that ‘Nationalism, as both an ideology and social-movement, has been one of the most formative processes of the modern world’. It is a relatively new concept but has been effective in capturing what nations such as Catalonia want: self-determination and independence. It involves the distinct culture and history of peoples (Halliday, 2017). This culture binds the nation together in a way that separates it from the rest of Spain. The people of Catalonia have the right to decide if they want to be a free state or not. This is a right that everyone is entitled to in the 21st century. A government has the responsibility to represent their people, and if the Spanish government are not fulfilling this responsibility then a change must be made. A ‘feeling of distrust already had deep roots in Catalonia’ (Carrera, 2014) and so independence is long overdue. There cannot be an effective relationship between people and state if there is distrust. The only reasonable resolution is to give Catalonia freedom. The government cannot deny the people their rights. According to Carrera (2014) ‘Catalonia is discriminated against within the community’. All of these facts contribute to the fact that Catalonia must be granted liberation.
A referendum was held in 2015 to gather the consensus of the Catalan people. The Guardian reported that “On the 27th of September Catalonia’s voters went to the polls and with a record 77.4% turnout gave a win in every single electoral district” (Mas, 2015). It is clear and undeniable that the Catalan people are desperate for independence. To deny this is against their right to a voice and against their right to choose. A referendum is a part of a fair democracy. Other countries such as The Bahamas and Barbados have gained independence in the past from The United Kingdom, so why can Catalonia not have the same self-determination as them? Every state should be seen equal just as all citizens are equal. There is becoming unrest in the state as Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan president, and Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s prime minister, have begun to insult each other after the decision to provoke the secession crisis. This unrest will directly affect the Catalan people.
Catalonia should be given self-determination in order to create a state that truly cares about each other. De Las Casas (2008) makes the argument that ‘members of a nation may not care about all the people of the world, but they do exhibit a selective altruism in caring about their fellow compatriots; and this selective altruism, when shared by all citizens, makes for a better country than one populated by purely selfish individuals’. A public that has common values and actually fights to become a state is going to be much more efficient and happy than one that just accepts the fact that it is together. This state will be more willing to co-operate and reach common goals. ‘If nothing else, nationalism is a sense of collective unity that turn large groups into extended families’ (De Las Casas, 2008). Crime rates therefor become lower as the sense of community rises. Why should a nation that is so unified not have self-determination? Not only are crime rates lower but countries are consistently wealthier. Catalonia generates “nineteen percent of Spain’s GDP and receives back eleven percent in expenditure from the central government” (Carrera, 2014). The Catalan people would benefit more if they had independence to decide their own budget and keep that extra eight percent, considering it is the second wealthiest community in Spain. An increase in economy can only benefit Catalonia as a nation. “Nationalism today often leads citizens to look inward and focus their energies on bettering their countries” (De las Casas, 2017). When citizens have to fight for self-determination, they appreciate it more than if it was just given to them.
This essay deals with arguments to prove that Catalonia should have the right to self-determination. Above all, the people have the right to decide if they should become a state or not. The government is there to represent the people, and if it cannot do that, then changes need to be made. Independence could increase Catalonia’s economy, fight crime, contribute to a more unified community and destroy the sense of distrust that the Catalan people feel towards their government. All of these benefits prove that Catalonia, as an independent state, would function much more efficiently and much more happily than it does presently.
Theiler, T. (2017) ‘Nationalism’ [Lecture], INRL10010: Foundations of Political Theory and International Relations. University College Dublin. 14 November.
Halliday, F. (2005) ‘Nationalism’, in Baylis, J. Owens, P. Smith, S. (eds.) The Globalisation of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 522-534.
Carrera, X. (2014) ‘The Domain of Spain: How likely is Catalan Independence?’, World Affairs, 176(5), pp.77-83. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/43555055.pdf. (Accessed on 15 November).
Mas, A. (2015) ‘The Catalan people have spoken’, The Guardian, 5th October. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/05/catalan-people-spanish-government-catalonia-independence-election-madrid. (Accessed on 15 November)
De Las Casas, G. (2008) ‘is Nationalism Good for You?’, Foreign Policy, 165, pp. 50-56. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/25462272.pdf. (Accessed on 16 November).