Constitutionalists: what they will never obtain

The days pass by, and those who prefer to continue as a part of Spain, those who have to offer a reform of the Constitution with which the majority of Catalans feel comfortable, still have not provided specifics, despite starting from an existing model from which to work and do simulations. If I may, I will dare to detail some minimal aspects that I believe a new Spanish Constitution would have to include for a significant number of Catalans to feel comfortable.

Recognition of principles. It should recognize that, in the past, Catalonia has been a scorned nation, the constitutional rights of which were devastated by the War of Succession. It must be made clear that Spain and the Crown will actively work to morally repair accumulated grievances: cultural and ideological persecution, degrading sentences (e.g. President Companys), etc.

National recognition. It must be clear that there are four nations in Spain: Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia (if each of these express to wish to be so designated in motu propio) and Castilian Spain. Castilian Spain is divided into autonomous regions. Catalonia, and the other nations, can have their own Charter or Constitution that would become a part of the broader Spanish Constitution. The nations would have to have international recognition for the purposes of sports teams and other relevant issues.

(This point seeks to prevent the generalization of that which must be reserved only for national realities. It has been shown that a generalization that seeks to equalize all, in addition to being artificial, has made Spain ungovernable, economically unviable, and-- important for our interests-- has managed to dilute the essential distinctiveness of Catalonia.)

Historical and other rights. The recognition of Catalonia as a nation derives from its history and its calling. Consequently, Catalonia has its own language and law that it will articulate as it wishes with its own corresponding laws. How to explain the history and reality of Catalonia in schools in the rest of Spain will be the subject of special attention in the Spanish Constitution, with lies and xenophobia to be punished.

Language and culture. Explicit recognition that the Catalan language has been persecuted is necessary. And although it now has a certain equivalence in the number of speakers with respect to Spanish, this fact is due to the persecution and imposition of successive Spanish governments and not the result of linguistic Darwinism. It must be made explicit in the Constitution that although the Franco dictatorship meant oppression for all Spaniards, in the case of Catalonia the repression was double, as it suffered a cultural genocide.

The Catalan language must become official in Spain, not so that its citizens have to learn it, but with the intention of forcing all the applicable provisions of market and cultural forces in the whole of Spain to be applied equally (a solution adopted in Switzerland and Canada to resolve, once and for all, the problem of languages in labeling, for example, among other issues).

Economic agreement. Catalonia should be able to collect all taxes and pay the Spanish State for services received. In addition, it will pay an additional amount as voluntary solidarity (negotiable on an annual basis according to objectives, the use of the funds, and the overall economic situation).

Legislation and international participation. There will be no shared powers and Spain will only keep those that, due to logic and efficiency, make no sense to pass along to the subsidiary level (army, currency printing, application of international treaties affecting Catalonia if they have been agreed with us before, etc.). It must articulate the form of representation of Catalonia in the EU based on what is already done in other countries, and it must propose initiatives to international organizations to give representation to stateless nations.

Conclusion. These are the minimum points to which, I believe, the majority of those who do not want to break with Spain aspire. In fact, it is what Scotland will have, to give a relevant example. I dare to say that even the Catalan members of the PP would agree to them --because all Catalans, privately, aspire to these minimums. The question is: If everybody knows that we will never, never in our lives, achieve these minimums, I would like for misters Iceta, Duran, Herrera, and others to explain why they are so shamelessly and continuously dedicated to practising this frivolity and deceit?