The Role of the State of the Autonomous Regions: Nation-builder or Nation-demolisher?

This study focuses on the Statute-related parliamentary debates of the Catalan and Valencian autonomous regions and analyses the conceptions of the political communities defended by the political parties, both of Spain and of the autonomous region in question and the relationship between them. The goal is to analyse the differences over time and across the ideological spectrum of the identification patterns and the preferences with regards to the territorial organisation of the Spanish state and the arguments used to legitimise these positions. The investigation shows that the current conflict over the rise of secessionism in Catalonia is reflected in many different aspects, which is not surprising, but it also shows indications of conflict or at least of highly sensitive areas with conflict potential as early as 1979. Furthermore there are significant differences in the ways the political parties act in Valencia and Catalonia, respectively. Despite the complex dynamics, the results suggest that the inauguration of the Estado de las Autonomíasdid not decrease the conflict potential around the territorial organisation of Spain.