Catalan Nationalism and the Spanish State: A Historical Analysis of Enric Prat de la Riba’s Vision

1. Classification

This text is a political and historical primary source written by Enric Prat de la Riba, a Catalan nationalist activist and theorist. It is an excerpt from his work “The Catalan Country,” published in 1906 during the second stage of the Spanish Restoration (1902-1923). This period coincided with the beginning of Alfonso XIII’s reign and followed the colonial disaster of 1898. The disaster prompted criticism of the Spanish system, sparking calls for modernization and greater autonomy for regions like Catalonia. Conservative (Maura) and Liberal (Canalejas) leaders attempted to reform the system, succeeding earlier figures like Cánovas and Sagasta.

Prat de la Riba, a conservative Catholic, co-founded the Catalanist Union in 1891 and helped draft the Bases de Manresa in 1892, a proposed framework for Catalan autonomy. In 1901, he joined the Regionalist League, a conservative Catalan nationalist party that achieved electoral success. A promoter of Catalan culture, Prat de la Riba’s nationalist theories were influenced by Renaissance romantic historiography, emphasizing historical grievances against Castile. His ideas also drew inspiration from Vincent Almirall’s “The Catalan State” (1876) and Pi i Margall’s federalist work “Nationalities.”

This political text, using technical vocabulary, targets specialists (lawyers, political scientists), national authorities, and the Catalan populace.

2. Analysis

The text introduces Prat de la Riba’s vision of a Catalan state within a federal Spanish state—an association of nation-states. He argues that the existence of a Catalan nationality justifies the formation of a Catalan state, which wouldn’t threaten Spain’s unity. Centuries of coexistence among different nationalities, he posits, form a basis for a Spanish federation built on freedom and acceptance.

The final paragraph reveals Prat de la Riba’s moderate, non-separatist nationalism, advocating for fraternal unity within a federal structure. Key terms used include:

• Nationality: Collective behavior in political matters, feelings, and free will of thought.
• Nationalism: A people’s aspiration for political and statehood.
• Whole Nation: The aspiration of all territories of the same nationality to unite under a single state.
• Regionalism: A cultural movement celebrating a region’s unique characteristics, culture, and traditions.
• State: A supreme administrative and political entity governing a territory, recognized internationally.
• Federal State: A decentralized state composed of several states agreeing to respect a supreme law (constitution).

Catalan regionalism and nationalism, with their federalist component, are rooted in the federalist movement of the First Republic (1873).

Published after the disaster of 1898, “The Catalan Country” reflects the regenerationist movement and the rise of regional and national consciousness.

3. Review (Background)

Prat de la Riba’s text can be interpreted as both a nationalist statement and a reaction to the perceived failure of modernization in Catalonia following 1898. His nationalism represented the industrialized Catalan bourgeoisie’s desire for modernization, conflicting with Spain’s centralized state. Catalan nationalism expanded to include the middle classes and peasantry.

In 1905, army officers, sensitive to perceived insults against Spain, destroyed the premises of the Veu daily and the Cu-Cut weekly. The government’s response, the Jurisdiction Act of 1906, granted the military powers to prosecute such offenses. This sparked opposition in Catalonia, leading to the electoral victory of the Catalan Solidarity party, led by Cambo and Prat de la Riba, in 1907.

4. Conclusions

The text illuminates the state of nationalism during the Spanish Restoration and its lasting impact. Catalan nationalism served as a model for other regions. The current decentralized autonomous state model resembles Prat de la Riba’s federalist vision, which continues to resonate with some political organizations and citizens.

The key difference between regional and federal states lies in the source of power delegation: the state itself in regionalism, and the territories in federalism. Debate continues regarding the ideal state model, particularly concerning the balance of power between central and regional governments. The 1978 Constitution established Spain as an autonomous state, recognizing the autonomy of historic nationalities and regions. However, challenges remain, including ongoing conflicts with Basque and Catalan nationalists, echoing similar tensions from the late nineteenth century.

Regionalism is a cultural aspiration focused on language, literature, and folklore, while nationalism adds political aspirations to these elements. The Catalan Renaixença, a cultural movement, revived the written use of Catalan.