NOTE: Everything said in this article about Spanish nationalism (Spanishism) also applies to French Jacobinism, which our compatriots on the other side of the Bidasoa river have to endure.
There is no doubt that the far Right is enjoying a heyday in Europe and the Americas. France and Spain are no exception. In Spain, its best-known – though not the only – party is VOX. A political party that emerged with great force (is it a coincidence?) during the most active years of the Catalan independence movement. The fact is that the Spanish far Right, and Spanish fascism in general, has a notable distinction from its European counterparts: its rabid Spanish nationalism, its staunch defence of Spanish imperialism, and its blind hatred of other non-Spanish nationalisms on the Iberian Peninsula, particularly Basque and Catalan nationalisms. This radical Spanish nationalism is a direct legacy of Francoism, the fascist and ethnocidal regime that crushed our nation for 40 long years. That imperial Spain which some recall with nostalgia brings together the fascists of yesterday and today.
It is well known that the main concern and source of worry for the dictator Franco was the unity of Spain. As he lay dying, according to the former King Juan Carlos himself, the dictator Franco took his successor, Juan Carlos, by the hand and implored him to safeguard the unity of Spain. He did not ask him to rid Spain of the threats of communism or Freemasonry, no, but of separatism. A very significant anecdote.
We have many reasons to condemn fascism. It is a perverse ideology that tramples on human rights and scorns democracy. But as Basque patriots, we reject Spanish fascism, above all, because it is an ideology that embodies the most ruthless form of Spanish imperialism, because it seeks the unhesitating destruction of the Basque nation. The Spanish far Right does not recognise us as Basques and will do everything in its power to assimilate our nation, by fair means or foul (as we shall see, it is only in this respect that the Spanish far Right differs from other pro-Spanish political groups).
At the heart of the Spanish far Right’s rhetoric lies a glorification of imperialism. This is reflected in the provocative attitude they adopt when they arrive from Spain to visit our towns and cities. Their slogans focus on a single theme: “The Basque Country is Spain!”. They do not have slogans directed against the Left, but rather pro-Spanish slogans. They are well aware that they are coming to a different country, one that is impervious to their ideas. The core of their message, when they come here, is the glorification of Spanish identity and the criminalisation of Basque independence movements. Everything else disappears from their agenda. The same thing happens when they visit Catalonia.
Hatred of Catalans and Basques has a long history in Spain, and the far right knows how to exploit it very effectively. It is therefore no surprise that VOX has been successful in many parts of Spain. This political party appeals to a very Spanish mindset, nostalgic for a former empire, which insists that Basques and Catalans are ‘privileged’, ‘fanatics’, ‘selfish’ and ‘unsupportive”. Ultimately, the root cause of their phobias lies in the Castilian imperialist project, a project that claims the right to subjugate the other nations of the peninsula on the basis of the right of conquest.
That said, however, we must not be led to believe that the pro-Spanish nationalist agenda is the exclusive preserve of the far Right. We would be very misguided to believe that this outdated Spanish nationalism is confined to the ranks of the PP and VOX. If anything defines Spanish imperialism, it is its cross-cutting nature, deeply rooted on both the left and the right. Did Josep Pla not say that the closest thing to a right-wing Spaniard is a left-wing Spaniard? Not only within the PSOE, but also further to the left, this radical form of Spanish nationalism is significantly represented.
Therefore, the Spanish political left and right share the same ideology that denies our national rights. From VOX to PODEMOS, the parties across the Spanish political spectrum share the same imperialist agenda, differing only in their methods. Some play the role of the ‘good cop’ and others the ‘bad cop’, but both – using different tactics – seek to suppress and obstruct our process of national liberation. Both defend the current status quo, that is to say, the subordination of the Basque and Catalan nations to Spain.
As José Mari Pastor wrote in an excellent article (https://www.berria.eus/euskal-herria/aitormena-baina-erreboltarik-gabe_2153369_102.html ), the message from the PSOE and its supporters can be summed up as follows: “Passive advocates of sovereignty, yes; active separatists, no!”. Otherwise, Article 155 of the Constitution will be invoked and those who undermine the unity of Spain will face imprisonment (or exile).
And what about PODEMOS? During the turbulent years of the Catalan independence movement, Pablo Iglesias, the leader of PODEMOS, made it clear that voting for his party was the best way to safeguard the unity of Spain. It couldn’t be put any more plainly.
In addition to political parties, Spanish nationalism is also at the very heart of the Spanish State, embedded in all its institutions and reflected in all relations between Spain and the Basque Country. For example, when the Basque Government, taking advantage of the political climate, manages with great effort to secure the legal recognition of minimal powers, officials within the Spanish administration find countless technical obstacles to prevent the transfer of that fraction of power. In every Spanish institution, we find Spanish nationalists determined to deny the rights of the Basque Country or Catalonia: in the judiciary, the army, the police, the media, sport, culture, the economy, business, trade unions, the world of work, the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, …
What is more, Spanish nationalism is a deeply ingrained attitude among ordinary citizens, whether they are on the left or the right, rich or poor, uneducated or well-educated. These citizens are brought up in this way, and they in turn feed the institutions with their Spanish nationalism; moreover, they are always ready to applaud the anti-Basque decisions of those in power.
Spaniards are well aware that we Basques are not Spanish, that we belong to a different nation, and even in the most everyday situations they act like Spaniards in front of us. How can we understand why, when Basque or Catalan teams play, the football grounds are filled with Spanish flags? They don’t do the same when it’s Spanish teams playing against each other.
Just as we love the Basque Country, Spaniards love Spain, and there is no reason to condemn that, because it is only natural. Spanish nationalism, on the other hand, is an oppressive ideology that infringes upon the rights of other nations, such as our own. Spanish nationalism (Spanishism) is the Basque Country’s main enemy, and we must state this clearly. We must identify instances of Spanish nationalism, denounce them and combat them. Just as feminism identifies sexism and regards it as its enemy, so too must we identify Spanish nationalism as the enemy of Euskal Herria, denounce it and neutralise it.
Returning to the political arena, we would be making a grave mistake if, as Basque patriots, we were to believe that fascism is our nation’s only enemy. For, in addition to fascism, Spanish nationalism poses the gravest threat to us as a people, as it embodies the imperialist ideology that seeks our complete assimilation. We must always bear this firmly in mind, so as not to err when setting out to implement a strategy of national liberation.
For all these reasons, we cannot understand the political behaviour of the Basque nationalist parties in Madrid. Nor do we agree with their strategy of supporting the PSOE to prevent the PP and VOX from coming to power. Should we give a blank cheque to left-wing Spanish nationalism just to prevent right-wing Spanish nationalism from coming to power? Was it not the PSOE that, following Franco’s death, decided to split the Southern Basque Country, that founded the GAL, that implemented the policy of dispersing Basque prisoners, that joined forces with the PP against President Ibarretxe, that also banned the Basque nationalist left, and that supported the application of Article 155 in Catalonia? Is Pedro Sánchez’s Spanish nationalism any less than Feijóo’s? We don’t think so.
Instead of bolstering left-wing Spanish nationalism, the Basque nationalist parties in Madrid should adopt a different approach in the Spanish Parliament: they should destabilise Spanish institutions and take steps towards independence. Because the best way to fight against fascism and the wave of Spanish nationalism that is suffocating us is to abandon that outdated, corrupt and authoritarian Spain that oppresses us and establish the Basque Republic as soon as possible.
Let us bear in mind that even in the midst of the most bitter political disputes, Spanish political parties never forget their homeland, nor do they forget the interests of the state when the going gets tough. It is about time that we Basques did the same and worked together, strengthening our national identity and striving for independence.
