Anti-Catalanism
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Anti-Catalanism is the collective name given to various political attitudes, nowadays particularly in Spain, that oppose Catalan separatism.
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[edit] Blaverism
Anti-Catalanism has a local and distinctive manifestation in the Valencian Community called Blaverism. It is a movement stemming from the refusal against the concept of the, perceived as "Imperialistic", Països Catalans. Proponents of Blaverism see this concept as Catalan expansionism. Blaverism is best reflected in debates concerning the status of Valencian, even though this phenomenon has diminished greatly over the last 25 years.
[edit] Concept criticism
Critics of this concept regard so-called anti-catalanism as a political manoeuvering tool, coined and used especially by Catalan nationalists. Critics state that the "anti-catalanism" tenet can potentially be used as a victimisation tool by means of which some elected Catalan representatives sublimate any criticism on their performance as elected representatives by deflecting it to Catalans or Catalonia as a whole instead. As such, whatever shortcomings or disagreements with their nationalistic agenda or any less than clear financial management are simply discarded as "anti-catalanism" thus derailing demands of accountability by the general public and pre-empting any policy or ideological criticism; according to this view, the "anti-catalanism" speech foments a non-dissenting environment and enhances support to Catalan nation building plans from a scarcely informed local or international community who is typically keen to support the underdog.
Critics argue accordingly that, within a context of manipulative politics and lack of objective and clear argumentation, the term anti-catalanism can be used as a demagogic or chauvinist concept to channel all non-conforming views about the Catalan nationalist agenda, which, according to these sources, silences alternative points of view, distorts reality and instigates animosity and hatred towards those –whether in Catalonia or, chiefly, in the rest of Spain– who do not conform to the group ideologies from a victimisation perspective, thus greatly reducing the possibility of diverse political choices.
Two new political parties created in Spain during the 2000s adhere to this line of reasoning, Citizens-Party of the Citizenry –which was established in Catalonia– and UPyD Union, Progress and Democracy, which has roots in a similarly nationalist dominated autonomous community, that of the Basque country.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Historical origins of anti-Catalanism
- Interview to Josep Benet, in catalan
- http://www.normalitzacio.net/testimonis/index.php?sec=testimonis&n=1392 The tradition of denaying Catalan repression]
- Catalanophobia mass' expression in Spain
- Manifesto by Catalan intellectuals denouncing excesses in Catalan nationalism rethoric(English)
[edit] Further reading
- Jaume Medina, "L'anticatalanisme del diari ABC (1916-1936)", Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat | col·lecció Biblioteca Serra d'Or. ISBN 978-84-7826-606-7
