ABSTRACT
Independence in Catalonia ceased to be associated with radical social activism. The Catalan movement is distinctive to similar movements and political projects found in societies such as Quebec, Flanders and Scotland. The Catalan independence movement has been highly successful at channelling the range of emotional responses that emerged after 2008. The movement became the most successful political response to the social, economic and national crisis that was underway. Catalan political elites are more polarised from the Spanish political class than at any time since the death of Franco. The Catalan party system has further diverged from the Spanish system, whilst majorities in Catalan society are highly divergent from most Spaniards on territorial and constitutional issues. For Spanish nationalism, the demands of Catalan independence are disloyal and inexplicable. The Catalan political debate is now framed from a spectrum spanning from federalism to independence, with advocates of deep federalism demanding that competencies must be fully devolved and protected from central state interference.
