The Origins of Catalan Nationalism, 1770–1898

This book looks at the reasons behind the emergence of a Catalan nationalist movement from the late 1880s, one of the most important developments that took place in nineteenth-century Spain, with the 'Catalan question' thereafter never far from the centre of the Spanish political stage. Beginning with an analysis of Catalonia's integration within the Spanish nation-building project between from 1770, and following the growing tensions between both the Spanish state and its allies and Catalan social, cultural and political elites, this book focuses on the reasons behind the rise of Catalan nationalism in the late nineteenth century. The events culminated in the late 1880s when a political and cultural movement emerged which affirmed that Catalonia was a separate nation and that it should therefore gave a high degree of political autonomy from Spain. This represented one of the most important developments of Spanish nineteenth century history, with the 'Catalan question' thereafter never far from the centre of the Spanish political stage. Smith also sets Catalonia within a broader European context, arguing that the study of the rise of Catalan nationalism has lessons for our overall understanding of regional and national identities. The Catalan case shows that rather than constituting two separate poles that never touch, there can be a considerable degree of ambiguity and overlap between these identities Front Matter....Pages i-viii Introduction....Pages 1-7 King, Patria and Nation: Catalonia from the Ancien Régime to Liberalism....Pages 8-38 Catalonia in the Spanish Nation-Building Project, 1815–68....Pages 39-69 Liberalism, Romanticism and the Consolidation of a Cultural Catalan Identity, 1815–74....Pages 70-97 Centralization, Decentralization and the Construction of a Catalan Political Regionalism, 1815–74....Pages 98-128 The Catalan Haute Bourgeoisie and the State, 1875–98....Pages 129-151 The Travails of Liberal Catalanism, 1875–98....Pages 152-181 The Church, the Right and the Forging of a Catalan Nationalist Movement, 1875–98....Pages 182-213 Conclusions....Pages 214-222 Back Matter....Pages 223-304 Cover 1 Contents 6 Acknowledgments 7 List of Acronyms 8 Notes on Style 9 Introduction 10 1 King, Patria and Nation: Catalonia from the Ancien Régime to Liberalism 17 2 Catalonia in the Spanish Nation-Building Project, 1815–68 48 3 Liberalism, Romanticism and the Consolidation of a Cultural Catalan Identity, 1815–74 79 4 Centralization, Decentralization and the Construction of a Catalan Political Regionalism, 1815–74 107 5 The Catalan Haute Bourgeoisie and the State, 1875–98 138 6 The Travails of Liberal Catalanism, 1875–98 161 7 The Church, the Right and the Forging of a Catalan Nationalist Movement, 1875–98 191 Conclusions 223 Notes 232 Bibliography 273 Index 298