Anti-Catalanism

A sign in Valencia city calling for a boycott of Catalan products
Anti-Catalanism in France. Royal decree forbidding to use the Catalan language in Roussillon, Conflent and Cerdanya starting 2 April 1700

Anti-Catalanism (Catalan: anticatalanisme, IPA: [ˌantikətəɫəˈnizmə]) is the collective name given to various historical trends in Spain that have been hostile to Catalan culture and traditions. In more recent times it is a term which been used to criticize political stances contrary to Catalan nationalism or Catalan independentism, both within and without Catalonia.

Description

In a historical and political context, anti-Catalanism expresses itself as a xenophobic attitude towards the Catalan language, people, traditions or anything identified with Catalonia and the political implications of this attitude. In its most extreme circumstances, this may also be referred as Catalanophobia. Several political movements, known for organising boycotts of products from Catalonia, are also actively identified with anti-Catalanism. It is a controversial term in Spain since catalan political parties which support political independence are often accused of conflating criticism of their stances and actions with an attack on all Catalans.

Anti-Catalanism in its most virulent form is mostly associated with far-right Spanish political parties. Groups such as España 2000 object strongly to the autonomy enjoyed by Catalonia, claiming that the granting of autonomy to Catalonia and other regions will lead to the breakup of Spain. A former saying amongst latter day Francoists during the Spanish Transition (late 1970s, early 1980s) illustrating this attitude was: Antes roja que rota, which roughly translates as: "(I would) Rather (see Spain) red than broken", meaning that these people would prefer to see Spain become Communist than have regions (like Catalonia or the Basque Country) seceding from it.

Criticism of Catalan nationalism, is to be found throughout the Spanish political spectrum. However, such criticism does not usually imply hostility towards Catalonia itself. Nor does it necessarily imply being against regional autonomy in Spain, or even the use of regional languages in the public domain. It is often interpreted by pro-independence Catalan parties as a xenophobic, populist and selfish attack on all Catalans.

Besides politics, anti-catalanism is often also based on widespread perceived prejudices among regions of Spain. Negative perceptions of Catalans common throughout Spain involve a sense of them being excessively individualistic, unfriendly, unwelcoming, cowardly, treacherous, snobbish and mean. This perception plays with political realities, Catalonia often being accused of lack of solidarity with the poorer regions of Spain, marginalisation of the Spanish language and culture (e.g. ban on bullfighting or absence of Spanish-language public education) and historical discrimination and racism against economic migrants from Andalusia and Extremadura. The degree to which the latter accusation is justified is debatable, particularly since the children and grandchildren of immigrants have successfully integrated into a multicultural Catalan society. However, arguments forwarded include that whereas the 20 most common surnames names in Catalonia proper are Spanish (García, Fernández etc..), the majority of politicians have Catalan surnames and many of those who do not catalanise them upon embarking on a political career. On the other hand, in the high ground of the Legal system, Police structure, University structures and high business and corporate grounds, it is more likely to find common Spanish surnames than Catalan ones.

Anti-Catalanism has a local and distinctive manifestation in the Valencian Community called Blaverism, a movement rejecting Joan Fuster's concept of Països Catalans.[1] Blaverism is best reflected in debates concerning the status of Valencian versus Catalan, even though this phenomenon has diminished greatly over the last 25 years. Also in Aragon there is an anti-Catalan movement that seeks to diminish the Catalan identity of La Franja, thus the Aragonese parliament has passed laws that will make no mention of the word "Catalan" in connection with Aragon.[2][3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Xavier Coller [www.cairn.info/revue-pole-sud-2006-2-page-107.htm Collective identities and failed nationalism], in Pôle Sud 2/2006 (n° 25), p. 107-136.
  2. ↑ Aragón excluye al catalán de sus lenguas oficiales, ahora se llama Lapao
  3. ↑ Las Cortes de Aragón aprueban llamar ‘lapao’ al catalán y ‘lapapyp’ al aragonés

External links

Further reading

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