How much is enough?

Catalan and Basque nationalism are creations of the late 19th century. They stem from industrialisation, which made these the richest regions in the country, taking in migrants from elsewhere in Spain. At the time the Spanish state, unlike its French counterpart, lacked the resources to integrate the country, says Antonio Elorza, a Basque political scientist at Madrid’s Complutense University. Otherwise Catalonia and the Basque country would have been as content within Spain as Languedoc and Brittany are within France.

Mike Reid, How much is enough?, The Economist (06/11/2008)

I usually read the two main London-based financial media: Financial Times and The Economist, two of the most influential economical media in the world, together with the Wall Street Journal. I prefer The Economist because of its more "laissez-faire" opinions but I have always been somewhat sceptical with their judgement on the Spanish politics (at least it does not favour openly the Spanish Socialist Party as the FT often does). However, this Saturday's Special Report by TheEconomist gifted us with an audacious and correct analysis of Spain's economical and political situation: The party is over.

One of the articles of the report, How much is enough?, on the Spanish devolution of power to the regions, is so extremely accurate that I called my housemate so we could read it and enjoy it together. I could not believe some Britons at last were considering the Spanish regional nationalisms as they actually are: selfish, parochial and irrational. Though it stated the observable, plain truth, it made me very happy that an unbiased foreigner had been able to point the nakedness of the emperor (i.e., the non-sense of the nationalists' requests) after having observed, been informed and checked their opinions.

Of course, the nationalists yelled with rage and called for apologies: they are pissed off because truth hurts and even more when it is told in such a fair, balanced and English manner. As the report's author Mike Reid says, the Catalan government was upset by the Catalan ex-president being called "cacique" (provincial political boss, a kind of Mafia boss without the killings) because it is true.

Love and freedom.