Catalans are not alone. Across the world, people yearn to govern themselves | Neal Ascherson
(The Guardian Spain)

Globalisation was supposed to bring widespread uniformity and benefit. But it hasn´t addressed old grievancesIt could end really badly in Catalonia. Running out of their own ideas, the Spanish government in Madrid seems to be begging advice from ancestral Castilian spirits. And the ancestors say: `On with your breastplates, sharpen your halberds, show these upstarts who is master in our Kingdom.` Unless it can be stopped, what´s developing day by day leads to what General Jaruzelski did to Poland in 1981: tanks on the Ramblas, censorship of the media, mass internment of 10,000 `separatists`. And, almost inevitably, the blood of some `martyrs`. A European tragedy.Or it could end, just possibly but only just, with a deal and a gate grinding open to Catalan independence. But even if that does happen, supposing most Catalans vote Yes in the referendum, there are many people in this country who will think it´s an even bigger European tragedy. Continue reading...