Two reflections (II)

It is not the same as the Spanish crisis because its different antecedents are different. And its psychology. And its political and economic room for manoeuvre. It is much more prepared as well. Catalonia is going through hard times. The impression is one of economic decline. An impression not entirely confirmed, at least in its most negative facets. Nevertheless the situation is worrying. And there is a sensation of a loss of prestige. Of internal prestige – in self-esteem terms — and of external prestige. Her standing within Europe, for example, where for many years Catalonia – and the Catalan model — was held in high esteem. No longer. And this implies certain insecurity.

And in the framework of the Spanish state, not only has our country lost prestige, but it has lost respect, which has given rise to deep hostility.

The balance is not good. Nor is the current situation.

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For those who believe in Catalonia’s capacity to revamp herself, this should not imply a loss of confidence nor a conformist attitude. Rather the contrary. In the twentieth century – specifically in the latter decades – we witnessed the years of recovery, the positive years, the years of progress in all senses. We therefore believe in our country’s strength, in its capacity to recover. But any recovery action needs to commence with a clear perception of the situation, with a radical rejection of self-deception and with an analysis of the factors that have harmed us in the first place.

In political and administrative terms – indeed, in terms of recognition and relationship of forces -, Catalonia has always had to contend in conditions that are far from normal, at times even adverse. But she has often been able to overcome these conditions by playing her positive cards skilfully – those that are her own, namely, the ones that exclusively or largely depend on the country itself. These are: a sound collective consciousness, a cohesive and all-embracing outlook, an entrepreneurial mentality, a cultural sensibility, a calling to open up, especially to Europe but also beyond.

We have even often played – and very well so — our special card that empowers us to intervene, positively, in Spanish affairs, as is happening at present. This, even though we are hardly ever given credit for it, is proof of our strength and resourcefulness.

In essence, these are our assets. Thanks to them we have survived and prospered for centuries despite the antagonism of the State. But these assets form part of a fragile system, because they are integrated into a frame with unfavourable rules and with umpires that do not look on us kindly.

This compels us to split hairs.

Experience shows us that in this context not only have we survived, we have made Catalonia an economically dynamic country of social progress, with a cultural vitality, a great capital, open to the world, with its own message. But this has come on the condition of having a clear idea of our assets, of our liabilities and of drawing on our resources accordingly, not squandering them.

In recent years Catalonia has had to tackle considerable challenges. The challenges of globalisation and the proliferation of new technologies, with all their consequences, be they economic, cultural, demographic and of values in general. These two phenomena have even had an impact on Europe as a whole and have reduced its weight in the world. Hence their impact has been even greater on a small country like ours, small and with limited political power, and badly dovetailed with the Spanish state. In other words, on a country that has nothing to spare even though it has important trump cards: a tested will to be, an important civil society, an outstanding capacity for economic and social initiative, and a cohabitational outlook, open and all-embracing. But the framework within which she exists helps little. As such she can only benefit from the – human social, cultural, ethical political and economic - capital at her disposal, provided she harnesses it properly. Provided she acts with seriousness, with a keen sense of the common good, with a constructive outlook.

And the fact is, Catalonia has not done this for some time 

Now the country needs to return urgently to political and social action, as well as to a style of government, marked by SERIOUSNESS. Or by rigor, as President Tarradellas would have said. It is as simple as this; it all boils down to seriousness. In ideas, in government action and in expenses.

Regarding ideas, we must ascertain what is needed for the general interest and how to achieve it. What is needed to for the defence of the Catalan language, for our economy, for a fair deal for our society, for the great challenges that lie ahead in the new technologies and in the recent immigration. What is needed to address the present, and this is by no means easy. This is not the time for silly games, for intellectual, political and social insincerity. Nor is it the time for policies marked by tacticism, the sake of power and personal success, or by sectarianism.

Seriousness means not meddling, not playing at politics, not acting without a project for country.

Government action is one area where this demand for seriousness is particularly essential. We mentioned this last week in reference to the Spanish government. Today we refer to ours, to the Catalan government. A government, whatever its colour, must be coherent. It cannot be a bedlam. It cannot succumb to confusion and frequent and constant contradiction. If it falls it is either because from the outset, the initial project has a glitch that cannot be repaired, or because it is vague or badly managed. Either it did not respond to a clear concept for a country from the outset – because it sought to combine overly distant visions, little or not at all compatible-, or it has become lost in internal hitches of the government itself – and has thus lost its capacity to stay the course, succumbing to a zigzag dynamic that has left the country giddy.

Lastly, it calls for rigor in expenditure. This is difficult when tacticism and the desire to impress rather than a good job prevail. When there is a trend to create more and more positions, bodies and functions.

We need to return to austerity, which implies acting without ostentation or sham, and which means serving whatever needs serving instead of misusing. More than not spending, it implies spending wisely.

 
It has been a long time since we last encountered this kind of situation. Ever more obstacles have been placed in the way of people’s initiatives. Both social and economic initiatives. It is increasingly easier to set up a factory in Daimiel or in Fraga than it is in Tortosa, Lleida or Girona. There is an ever growing bureaucratic zeal, and more interventionism, at times due to inertia, other times to ideological sectarianism.

There is a growing tendency towards spectacle to the detriment of efficiency, towards exhibitionism, photo opportunities, or a couple of days of headline news. And towards an exhibitionism for everything that looks good but does not work. Hence, wasteful spending. At a time of extremely tight budgets.

In all it leads to upheaval and eventually to a country without a project, as people in government itself agree, though this impression is also general.

And to all this we should add a certain degree of smugness in some political sectors of the government, with negative consequences for Catalonia herself and for its relationship with the rest of the State

In short, it is a way of thinking and doing marked by chaos, by presumption and inefficiency.

As we have often remarked, these are not only political drawbacks.  They also have an ethical component, they manifest a certain breakdown in values. As such, they call for some in-depth reflection in the field of attitudes and values. Yet we have also argued that there are times when a new political course has to be set. At times a long-term pedagogy of values also calls for decisive political action. And this is one such time.