Does anyone think that there should be a Basque homeland?

Question

Given the overwhelming Basque identity on both sides of the pyraness should Spain and France get together to help create a seperate Basque nation called Euskadi?

Answer 1

The national pride of both France and Spain is that they each think they are the "earliest" cultured people of Europe. If they conceded to give up the small amount of land required for this compromise, it would hurt their egos and force them to admit that the Basques were there first. However, with modern DNA techniques, I think that fact is pretty much established.

The mountainous land that makes up much of Euskadi, while arable, is not rife with mineral deposits or other resources. I say, give them the land.

I just read a book called The Basque History of the World. Excellently written and so very informative.

Answer 2

Yes, the Basques should be listened to, they have a different culture than France or Spain, thus proving they should be independent. I don't believe this current ceasefire will last, the government is not really talking and working towards a resolution, this country (Spain) doesn't have the ability to really negotiate properly, the people just go with the flow because that's easy, one only has to look at how the election was swung following the Madrid train bombings

Answer 3

No. There is already an autonomous Basque region in Spain. Having a separate country just causes more work in terms of an increased need for international dialogue, passports etc.

Answer 4

I lived in Spain for 5 years so I know about this subject but I do not think it will ever happen. Think of if with the United Europe and the Euro each country is becoming more and more a part of a whole. In another hundred years it will be like the States.

Answer 5

Given that both countries are in the EU isn't it a little bit pointless. By all means let them celebrate their culture and identity but what else is there to be gained. The only people who may be better off are those who would aspire to take political office. The Basque people would reap no benefit.

Answer 6

Oh I'm sure there is someone who thinks that way. But on the other hand look at what happened the last time the UN set up a country that had not existed for over a thousand years. We've had fighting since 1948 over that decision. And just how much do you want to subdivide an area? My answer would be no, don't do it.

Answer 7

I know there is some rationale to this, especially following the splits in Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia along ethnic/linguistic/religious lines. But is it wise?

Euskara culture is somewhat different, but the major difference is linguistic. If we follow that as a reason, you split off NW Spain into Galicia, and of course there would have to be a Catalonia in the south. Maybe the French east of the Pyrenees who speak related Rousillon would join that - maybe, being French, they would want their own.

At any rate, fragmentation a la Yugoslavia would be a great leap backward.

Answer 8

I've been in favor of this ever since I read the book "Shibumi." If you can talk France and Spain into it... peacefully, then I'd be all for it. However, terrorism supporting that cause would change my opinion immediately.

Aloha

Answer 9

Given the overwhelming german identiy in austria, should the nazi party get together and create a separate german homeland?

Why does a race or religion need a homeland? What about those people who are inter racial, do they get homelands too?

What happens to the racial minorities in those areas, do they get persecuted like jews in jordan, or arabs in israel? Or driven out like christians in darfur, or palestinians? Or maybe just diferent laws for them, like blacks during america's jim crow era...

Racial homelands are a BAD idea. They exist for the sole purpose of advancing racism.

Answer 10

hell why not. by the end od the next 2 hundred year the world state lines will look like a jigsaw puzzle. LAME!