Why is Barcelona important to Catalonia?
Barcelona’s industry is relatively up-to-date, and the city has long-established external markets to give it stability. Almost a quarter of Spanish exports come from Catalonia, and three-quarters of Catalan industry is concentrated in the Barcelona area, which provides about one-fifth of Spain’s industrial output.
What contributed to the downfall of the great trading power of the city of Barcelona?
Barcelona was weakened by outbreaks of plague in the 14th century and began to decline when Naples became the capital of the Catalan-Aragonese kingdom in 1442. The advent of the Habsburg monarchy, the rise of Turkish power in the Mediterranean, and the discovery of America all furthered this decline.
What are some reasons why Catalonia needs Spain?
The main reasons for Catalonia to stay in Spain are that the new state would be out of all the international organizations: EU, Council of Europe, the G20, WTO , NATO… Even the UN for a while: Not being in the EU: means not free transit of workers and goods.
Why does Catalonia want to separate from Spain?
Many people in Catalonia consider the area separate from Spain – hence the desire to hold a referendum against the wishes of the Spanish Government . A lot of this is driven by memories of the Franco dictatorship and attempts to suppress their identity.
Does Catalonia deserve independence?
Catalonia deserves independence as much as any other state. The principle of national self-determination was laid down by Woodrow Wilson after the First World War and accepted by the colonial powers who unwound their empires, if somewhat reluctantly, over the next half-century. Both the League of Nations and the United Nations were founded partly…
How and why did Catalonia become part of Spain?
Spain became a unified country in the 15th century and Catalonia became part of the new country under the reign of King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castille, who married and united their realms in 1469. The region industrialised at the end of the 19th century and became an industrial centre of Spain, which it remains to this day.