One should always avoid drawing too broad an analogy between domestic and international political events, especially given the intricate constitutional differences and subtleties we see across modern nation states. Commentators from all sides of the political spectrum famously overextended the Trump-Brexit analogy, for example. Nevertheless, the similarities in both responses and effects throughout the Brexit and Catalonian independence narrative cannot be allowed to simply pass without the inspection and discussion they warrant.
Firstly, any similarities to be drawn from the Brexit-Catalonia process would have to be restricted to the admittedly broad concepts of self-determination, sovereignty and constitutional legitimacy. Rather than attempting an academic summation of events, it would be more conducive to focus on the thematic comparative aspects of Brexit and the Catalonia referendum.
The fundamental philosophy behind the modern independence referendum revolves inextricably around self-determination and sovereignty; indeed, these two political concepts are generally regarded as prerequisites in terms of the motivation and appropriateness underpinning a tenable referendum. As far as support for Brexit is concerned, it was the soundbites surrounding immigration that reverberated around the echo chambers of the tabloid press and social media platforms; the reality, however, runs much deeper. Moving away from the ever closer union trends of the EU project and the plans towards a deeper, more entrenched federalism and legislative bureaucracy were of equal importance for British parliamentarians and the public alike. Complete national sovereignty and full self-determination were integral principles fueling the vote leave champions.
It is far from controversial to say that the dynamic of Brexit has been – to put it mildly – complex. To what extent we are actually making progress towards exiting the union is near impossible to objectively state; we are currently stuck at an infuriatingly awkward crossroads with numerous political pathways conflicting; there are the agents who ardently encourage a 2nd referendum on the grounds that the original vote was founded on falsehoods, deceit and a severe knowledge deficit; there are those who accept the vote but propagate a ‘soft’ Brexit, or one that sustains our membership of various EU bodies; finally, we have the staunch champions of Brexit who are – despite homogeneity in principles – equally divided on terms and conditions.
To add to this clash, we have the gargantuan breeze-block that is the EU’s current and historical attitude towards member states rescinding their attachment to the EU bloc. The upshot of this multifaceted puzzle is a conflict of ideas, plans and actions. Despite efforts from a rather zealous Tory cabinet attempting to quell fears, nobody can really know how the process will unravel. We even have figures such as Lord Heseltine contending that we may not leave at all and will in fact conclude in joining the single currency (some of his more hyperbolic comments).
Looking at the fundamentals of the Catalonian independence process, we have seen violence, civil unrest and legal recourses becoming the modus operandi in stopping or catalysing independence from Spain. Catalonia, Spain, the EU and every nation state contributing to the rhetoric are divided as far as legitimacy and independence are concerned. So has this marked the classical epitome of the fate of a modern independence referendum?
If we are to learn anything from the trajectory of Brexit and Catalonia, it is that being penalised and punished has become the unfortunate norm for attempting to exercise one’s right to self-determination and sovereignty. Inevitably, each case is different and intricacies are numerous. However, the powerful principles of self-determination and independence seem to be deeply problematic for the modern state of politics. With it being early days for Brexit and Catalonia alike, it remains to be seen just how viable the contemporary independence referendum truly is.
In any case, it is difficult to envisage no deal being better than a bad deal when the deal itself has as much substance as Trump’s hair.