Help Catalonia
Did you know that the Catalans lost independence in 1714 after being conquered?
I did not.
Did you know that they speak a different romanic language and have a distinct and very rich cultural universe that more than 12 milion people share? Did you know that Gaudí, the architect of the Sagrada Família, was beaten because he spoke Catalan, or that the Barcelona FC (Barça) was created to promote the Catalan culture? Did you know that Catalans are forbidden to call a referendum about their own destiny or that they would be one of the richest countries in the world if they just weren’t plundered 10%+ of their annual GDP? If this is news for you, please read our site, spread the word, and help Catalonia.
This Help Catalonia website offers a mix of news and opinion on Catalonian independence. Here’s a promising op-ed from the former minister of the Catalonian government. He calls for a Hanseatic Mediterranean:
In Madrid, and here in Catalonia, the most conservative –to be found among the bigwigs of the economic or media status quo– will not admit that the push towards the construction of sovereign nations, though no guarantee, is seen as an opportunity for wholesale regeneration, unfeasible within the framework of dinosaurs unable to evolve.Indeed, if we look to the Europe that functions, it orbits around two seas that hosted the city-states of theHanseatic League: the Baltic and the North Sea. Where there were city-states, there are now nation-states. Homogeneous small and medium sized states emerging after the implosion in the 19th and 20th centuries of the old Russian, German, Swedish or Danish empires. The Baltic now features independent, dynamic, flexible republics of the global economy. And in the North Sea, Holland and Flanders, both ex-colonies of Spain, the latter in the process of emancipation; Norway, formerly belonging to Sweden; and Scotland, also claiming sovereignty.Is it necessary to point out that the Mediterranean has never regained the prosperity and wealth it had, in relative terms within Europe, that it had in the times of the republic- and principality-states: Barcelona-Catalonia, or Valencia, Granada, Genoa, Provence, Florence, Venice and Naples?
Let A Thousand Nations Bloom 
“Did you know that the Catalans lost independence in 1714 after being conquered?” I didn’t know, for the simple reason that is a misrepresentation of the historical facts, as someone told you before. Just read any decent historical account of the facts before you happily join campaigns based on ignorance.
Well…1.- The 1714 “Independence”. This is absolutely false. In 1714 Catalans, as some other spaniards, suported one of the two candidates to the spanish crown. Note: “suported one candidate for the spanish crown”. Normal, because Catalonia was and today is part of the spanish crown, almost from Isabel and Fernando the catholic kings. Even then Catalonia was not, in fact it has never be, independent. Their candidate lost. More or less half of catalans were very happy. The other half not. Read history. Do no write it. 2.- FC Barcelona was created by a swiss guy (Gamper) who wanted to play football. 3.- Catalans are not forbbiden to call a referendum. As the other people in Spain they are under the law af the country. This law considers only the possibility of national referendums. N.B. This Constitution was voted “yes” by 90% of catalans who voted in 1978. Well, anybody can change his mind, but nobody is forbbiding anything to the catalans that is alowed for a Castilian or an andaluzí. 4.- It is untrue that 10% of anual GDP is lost. As any rich region its contribution to national economy is positive when it compares with poor regions wich are neat receivers of money. In any case it is individuals that pay taxes not Catalonia. If a catalan changes its residence to Madrid his taxes will acoount as Madrid’s taxes not catalonia taxes? No everybodys taxes are HIS taxes. If Catalonia was an independent state of Europe and been one of its rich regions it will continue to be a neat contributor to the general economy and as nowadays Spain is a neat receiver of EU funds you can guess that in this regard the situation of Catalonia as an independent state in the UE will be even worse.
How can someone so interested in alternative and small-scale politics not know about Catalonia? (By the way, the modern-day “movement” is more or less a bunch of loons. Do you really think that they have much of a legit claim to a nationality that hasn’t existed for three centuries?)
“A nationality that hasn’t existed for three centuries” wow. And who are you to dictate who has no nationality or who can consider a different people of a different nationality?
Identity is what you uphold today. It does not have to follow suit what has been for a hundred years ago. If the people see that they are distinct and that they can find themselves governing their own futures by themselves, then you have no right to bar them from that freedom.
The Nationality has existed and exists until the last 1000 years, more than the most countries of the world… The “State” Statuquo hadn’t existed for three centuries….
BTW (in your same words) The indepence movement of united states is more or less a bunch of loons. Do you really think that they have much of a legit claim to a nationality that NEVER hasn’t existed?