Enthusiasm for Catalonia

Naturally, I have been critical about how things are being handled lately in Catalonia. And I have written about our confusion, disorientation, and loss of self-esteem. As well as the Spanish reaction, which comprises a mixture of hostility, contempt and a lack of solidarity. In other words, I have stressed the difficulty of the moment we are experiencing. And I have called for specific changes in our behaviour and in some of our approaches.

Some people find this difficult. It’s difficult to find a way out of this mess that has arisen in Catalonia. Indeed, it is. But I believe it is within out reach.    

Why do I believe this? On what do I base this belief? I base it on having lived sixty years in close proximity to our country. On all her regions, social environments, economic levels, generations. I base it on everything that Catalonia achieves on the cultural and economic stages, and on projecting herself internationally. On both her toughest moments and her finest moments. From prison to the Presidency of the Generalitat. And I base my knowledge on very current human facts. I base it on the young people I meet who are well prepared and enthusiastic. The best-prepared youth this country has ever known. With a sense of responsibility towards society and country; it is not true that no nobody cares. My belief is based on our high level of culture. It is based on our capacity of cohabitation, which is very great, much greater than the norm. I base it on our international presence, both in its economic and cultural aspects. Why has the presence at the Frankfurt book fair of a language without its own State and persecuted for centuries given rise to so much debate in the political, cultural and international arena? Because it is unusual and surprising event. Because it has great, extremely great merit. Why does the current Scottish government say it has learnt much from the years of Catalan nationalist government? Why do our medium-sized businesses and this is highly positive, have by a long shot in Europe the strongest presence abroad? Why of all the State does our civil society have the most initiative? It is for all these things, and more, that I have faith in Catalonia. And I love Catalonia.

All this does not play down the fact that we are experiencing a critical moment. This does not excuse the fact that collectively we have made some blunders. Nor does this
mean that the overall climate in Spain is bad. However, this does not imply that the country need not roll up its sleeves. We cannot seek refuge in resigned lamentation, or in futile imprecation. We merely need to take stock of everything positive we have, of our energy source, of our prestige, of our moral strength and our capacity of enthusiasm and to pull ourselves out this current mess.

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This brings to mind something that happened 25 years ago, in November 1982. Catalonia was submerged in a deep economic crisis. Unemployment stood at roughly 20%. There was a general crisis here, throughout Spain and Europe. The PSOE (The Spanish Socialist party) had just been voted into power, and we knew it would be hostile towards Catalonia. Some of our most prestigious companies were also in the midst of a crisis. And people were scared. At the time, the government of the Generalitat staged a big exhibition in Plaça Catalunya to explain our economic, civic, social, and cultural assets. And to explain that everything was going well. And positive initiatives were being taken. And there was commitment to and acceptance of challenges. And there was enthusiasm.

On the day of the inauguration, in early November, Catalonia was subjected to an even greater misfortune when the country was struck by a number of catastrophic floods, with fatalities and untold destruction. This was exacerbated by the looming threat of a budgetary imbalance, with far-reaching consequences. These events coincided with a visit by the Pope to Catalonia, and on that day he was in Montserrat. With the blanket of fog, heavy rain and cold, not to mention two deaths as a result of the storm, the visit was a disaster. The hope that the visit would help him to understand Catalonia was dashed.

Everything, I repeat, instilled concern in people. And disillusionment.

However the people understood the Exhibition’s message. “Do not fear, we are a resourceful people, with a serene but strong force, with a both capacity of resistance and initiative”.  

The people understood. That day, leaving the exhibition, an old friend who for some time had remained on the sidelines of collective action remarked: “Pujol, it’s true that bad times are coming for Catalonia, isn’t it?” I said to him: “Difficult, at any rate”. And he responded: Well, you know what? You can count me in. What needs to be done?” And he added: “You know? I’m happy. I find that despite all the difficulties Catalonia is looking good”. He could have added: “And I love her”.

We know what happened after that: Catalonia went through a long period of progress, of self-government, of more prestige, of more service to the people.

There is nothing else to add.