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As far as I know (and I grew up there), there is zero support for any kind of independence over there, and quite an opposite pride in being French, and having fought and suffered to be French (there's nothing that Alsatians hate more than to be told that they are not completely French). In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
And data from what I believe is EU research shows nearly 900,000 Alsatian speakers.
The Euromosaic study funded by the EU is a good place to start looking at where linguistic minorites exist. These often form the basis for nationalist movements.
We matter more than pounds and pence/ Your economic theory makes no sense "We work the Black Seam"-Sting
Hm, let's see...
3. I do'nt see how it is suppressed.
Sorry, maybe not the best word I chose. I didn't mean suppression by force, I meant being eclipsed by the presence and use of the others. What you mention that many people learn Hochdeutsch rather than Alsatian is part of this (and parallels what happened and happens to some German dialects in Germany proper, BTW). *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
I'd need to dig up sources again, but that's been the experience of my growing up there, and occasional visits. I cna ask my parents who live there... In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
And I'll ask you a simple question.
What, if any, reason is there for Alsace to not call for self rule and independence if they can retaing the economic adavantages of being French by staying in the EU.
This is the problem that the growth of the EU creates. That post 1914 state system is being challenged from below by national minorities and above by European regulations. Who needs France when you can get the same things from the EU?
if they can retaing the economic adavantages of being French by staying in the EU.
In France, they are the second richest region, close to Germany but with support of the central French state. Alone, they are the poorer cousin of the Rhine valley as Basel, Baden-Würtenberg et al. are even wealthier...
Who needs France when you can get the same things from the EU?
The question also is: what State will let go more easily. Not France, for sure. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
That is an issue of democracy, too. Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
Actually, IMHO a good thing about an independence referendum in the Basque Country and Catalonia would be to force PNV and CiU to stop sitting on the fence and being all things to all people regarding separatism.
But the Referenda would have to allow subsets of the respective regions to opt out of independence, too. Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
This could be a reaction to Puerto Rica's always smoldering independence movement. Of course, the solution is a dose of reality as one PR native told us: "We don't want to starve to death."
http://www.topuertorico.org/government.shtml won't wonders never cease? _ Snuffy Smith
And independence referendum would shut the PNV and CiU up, however what happens if they win. Or turning to the Basque county, it passes with 65% of the vote in Vizacaya and Guizpoca, is rejected by 65% in Alava, and is narrowly defeated with a a 51% no vote?
That will create all sorts of problems.
The problem at heart is not one of nationalism, but of democracy, community, and hierarchical and overlapping allegiances. Those whom the Gods wish to destroy They first make mad. -- Euripides
Mind you, not to leave Australia, just to enter Australia as a separate state to New South Wales.
So in the end it passed in the areas originally agitating for seperate statehood, with larger majorities the closer to Queensland (and further from Sydney) ... but was overwhelmingly rejected in the Hunter and went down to defeat. Utsukushikereba sore de ii
Part of the reason the proposed Basque referendum was so contentious was because polls showed the referendum would pass with a narrow victory. And that would sort of fuel the assertion by ETA that the Spanish state is undemocratic, no wouldn't it?
In the long term, I suspect that a divided Basque country, Vicaya and Guipuzcoa Basque, Alava Spanish, and Navarra a state of its own would reduce the prevalance of conflict. Significant minorities in Viscaya and Guipuzcoa support violence, but with their own state, the hardliners would lose the support of sympathizers.
This is but one example of the type of messes that nationalism let lose by Scots independence could bring.
I agree wholeheartedly with your description.
There is also "Spetteklubben", a legendary organisation that (according to said legend) once a year gather on the Skania border with a collection of gardening tools to physically seperate Skania from the rest of Sweden. If successful seperation is achieved Skania is supposed to "drift back to Denmark".
According to some versions most of the participants are from Skania.
Part and parcel, I suppose, of wanting to go back in time rather than forward, to a day when there weren't any "foreigners". "C'est un scandale !"
