Conclusions

Abstract

This chapter wraps up the arguments and shows that, unlike Scotland, Catalonia has never been a nation and has no legitimate claim to being treated as one. This is shown in the first section, devoted to a historical sweeping analysis. The second section examines what modern nationalism is and how it developed in Catalonia in the twentieth century. The third section tries to explain why Catalan nationalism developed and shows that it is largely the product of early economic development, which made many Catalans feel different and somewhat superior, while at the same time the Catalan economy had a strong dependence of Spain. The fourth and last section tries to explain the recent separatist effervescence. There are two converging explanations: there is a decades-long background of incessant indoctrination and propaganda by the nationalist governments; and there is the precipitating factor of the Great Recession.

…sono tanto semplici gli uomini, e tanto obediscano alle necessità presenti, cho colui che inganna troverrà sempre chi si lascerà ingannare

…men are so simple and obey so much to momentary needs that whoever wants to deceive them will always find an easy victim

(Macchiavelli, 1994, p. 156)