Gregorio Peces-Barba, one of the authors of Spain’s Constitution, and an advocate of the role therein of the monarchy, died on July 24 aged 74 after being admitted to hospital a week earlier suffering from a kidney complaint and heart problems. From a well-to-do family that backed the losing side in the Spanish Civil War — his father, a lawyer and advisor to the Republican army, was given a death sentence, later commuted — Peces-Barba grew up in Madrid during the harsh years that followed General Francisco Franco’s victory, first attending the Lycée Français with exiled King Simeon of Bulgaria, and then the Complutense University where he obtained first a law degree and then a … [Read more...] about Gregorio Peces-Barba: symbol of the transition and staunch monarchist
Constitution
Is Catalonia going the way of Slovenia?
When, at his party's congress on March 28-29, the former Catalan president Jordi Pujol exclaimed that "we live in a state that has no Constitution", he touched the nerve of a Catalan nationalism that has become increasingly belligerent. It’s a nationalism that openly defies court sentences it believes threaten the nation it claims to represent, such as the Constitutional Court's ruling on the region’s Statute of Autonomy (or Estatut) in 2010 or more recent ones by the Supreme Court related to language use in Catalonia. No wonder that at the same congress, Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya (CDC) adopted a strategy that, even though it avoids the word "independence", strongly argues for … [Read more...] about Is Catalonia going the way of Slovenia?
Amar y Vivir
The Great Inquisition did nothing for the Church, it led to Protestantism, to separation between Church and State and to a work ethic celebrating reconciliation and collaboration that became the precursor of modern western society and all its wealth. Japan’s infliction of terrible horrors led not only to its inevitable defeat, but indirectly to its ultimate wealth. (America wrote its Constitution!) Germany’s idiotic pre-war dreams about domination led not only directly to its defeat but to wealth attributable as much to production as to enforced tolerance. (America wrote its Constitution!) Franco’s cruel Spain did everything wrong, creating a nation the exact opposite of what he … [Read more...] about Amar y Vivir
Why open Pandora’s Box?
Reforming the Constitution is a guaranteed way to open up a thousand and one debates about democracy in Spain. The 1978 referendum, in which the current Constitution was approved, was a turning point at a major crossroads in the political life of a country that aspired to be close to Europe, improve the quality of life of its citizens and take on the process of transitioning to democracy under the guidance of a parliamentary monarchy. To think that reforming the Constitution now is the only way to control the deficit is probably a reflection of the need for a renewal of the policies of the political parties, not necessarily generational change. The question is poignant: Is a reform of … [Read more...] about Why open Pandora’s Box?
Catalan statute furore makes nearly everyone a loser
While sport lovers have admired the Spanish football team’s advance towards the World Cup final in South Africa, political and social observers have just as much reason to be impressed. This football team has managed to unite representatives of every corner of the country more effectively than any politician has ever done. Andalusians, Asturians, Madrileños, Basques, and -most notably- Catalans, all contribute to a squad that plays like a seamless whole. All of which makes it all the more ironic, therefore, that while the Catalan-led Roja has worked together to such devastating effect, back in Spain, political relations between Catalonia and Madrid have hit a low. On June 28, while the … [Read more...] about Catalan statute furore makes nearly everyone a loser