Catalan nationalism and its importance for culture
Catalan nationalism is a nationalism without a state, a type of nationalism of the periphery, occurs in regions such as Catalan or Scottish with respect to Great Britain. This nationalism is characterized by self-government and reproaches towards central nationalism for not integrating them. Catalan nationalism reproaches Spanish who are not integrated, although Spanish nationalism is a state nationalism with an integrative vocation, it is a nationalism of the construction of nation-state. (Linz, 1973, Giner 1984)
The origin of consciousness according to Llopis of belonging to the Nation of Catalonia began with the nation-state and that favored that governments and elites will create a national identity to increase their power with the support of citizens who are nationalist. From the 2000s there was a reconstruction and reaffirmation of national identity in Catalonia. Since the construction of the state-nation is one of the most important and debated issues in both Catalonia and Spain.(Llopis, 2007)
Specifically Catalan nationalism is a manifestation of a movement that answers an ethnicoterritorial problem in the western world, in this case in Spain. Catalan national identity is a self-identification pushed by intracomunal solidarity, creating according to Dahrendorf a national conscience comparable to class consciousness in social fractures of functional type as Marxian approaches explain. (Dahrendorf, 1969)
According to Linz it is correct to say that nationalist movements are based on the exaltation of collective features such as descent, language, family or origin (Linz, 1986). But it is not enough to resort to these elements, since they also need to have a defense position regarding the discriminatory centralist imposition of the state apparatus. This position consequently has the rejection of the values assumed by the majority of people in the state of which they are territorially part. To create this rejection they need to create an image of the State that produces this attitude, and for this they have to create a conscience, although sometimes it is false conscience.
According to López Arangten there is a theory that could explain nationalism, this is the theory of inner colonialism, it is a theory that aims to explain peripheral nationalism through feelings, for this we will also explain the case of Scotland. The first feeling that we are going to explain is that of relative impoverishment. This feeling does not occur in Catalonia, but it is given in Scotland, the feeling is caused by the comparison with other more prosper.(Arangten, 1983)
In Catalonia the feeling that occurs according to the theory of inner colonialism is the comparative fiscal grievance, this feeling is given by the economic issue of taxes. Catalonia pays more to the Spanish State, which receives from them, is a criticism widely used by independence.Incultural, which arises as competition between the various regional groups within the State and also have a significant national identity. In addition, according to Solé Tura, these groups are interested in sharing economic and political power, therefore, this theory is linked to the theory that represents that the distribution of fruits by the State is not equitable between the regions, this theory is the one explained above. (Solé Tura, 1977) But it is because of this union when the ethnocentrism paradigm arises that questions the reliability that the theory of internal colonialism may have, criticizes that it focuses its ideology on profitability and minor costs and does not make use of the prominence that it should haveCulture and ethnicity.
All causes believe to justify Catalan identity, which is a subjective national identity, which is defined as subjective individual feeling of being exclusively Catalan. This exclusivity is motivated by the created consciousness and they have created an image of the Spanish national identity. Spanish nationalism from the Catalan national point of view is related to Francoism and repression. (Béjar, 2007)
Catalan citizens with strong Catalan identity have a very strong attachment with their culture and feel a lot of pride in the culture and origin they have. But not all citizens of Catalonia are born there, there are also people who go there from Spain, but Catalan culture are not only from Catalan citizens. That is why all those who are not there also have the right to host Catalan culture, for this the acculturation process is necessary.
This process is explained by Sabatier and Berry and say that acculturation is an evolutionary process that from the psychosociological point of view occurs when groups of specific people or people leave their place of origin to settle in this case in Catalonia and accept and accept theCatalan culture, to the point of changing values, attitudes and identities. (Sabatier and Berry, 1996)
Catalan culture for Rivadeneyra has been reaffirmed by society in recent times, and a very important tool for this to happen is language, its use and defense of its use has always been in debate, and in recent times it has even eventhere have been controversies due to mandatory use or not in Catalan schools. But the truth is that this reaffirmation has meant that Catalan identity has increased by force that the institutions of Catalonia have, and in recent times they have dedicated many efforts in the media and especially its leaders.(Rivadeneyra, 2015)
The leaders of Catalans have been in charge of transmitting messages that join the nationalist people, and who love Catalonia, in the time of Pujol the leader said a few words that help the understanding of the construction of integrating nationalism that they intended to create in Catalonia,These words are "that Catatalá Qui Vui and obstacles Catalunya and Vol Ser-Ho" (it is Catalan who lives and works in Catalonia and is again) again). These words refer to acculturation as it is not Catalan who was born in Catalonia, if not who feels Catalan.
At present, one of the leaders who most represents Catalan nationalism that needs a distorted image of Spain and Quim Torra, is a leader who needs to create a false awareness of Spain to try to increase among citizens who feel Catalan nationalism. Their tweets are very popular, but the statements against Spain and the Spaniards are numerous, an example that clarifies very well this is: “The day we were able to laugh, ignore the insults we receive every day for being Catalans,That day we win, ”these statements create a confrontation between citizens of both nations, generalizing in all Spaniards and blaming an attitude that is not real, the Spaniards do not laugh at the Catalans for being Catalans, but in this way heCreate a false conscience
Catalan nationalism goes far beyond what the leaders want, not only is Catalan economy important, if not culture, traditions, values, shared attitudes … All that is what forms Catalan identity. It is the Catalan citizens themselves who define the Catalan identity, it is the ones who truly have the power to define it, it is the citizens who define Catalonia as an intimate world, a world that creates an identity in which they form an us, explainHis culture as a culture that either is as well explained as the rest, and about their values they say they are twice the empathic and supportive. Catalan nationalism is a feeling that can be the people of Catalonia who has it, but through acculturation you can also feel.
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