The Evolution of Catalanism: From Manifestos to Political Parties

Early Catalanism: Foundations and Manifestos

The early stages of Catalanism saw the denunciation of centralist oppression by the regime over Catalonia. Claims were formulated in defense of protectionism and Catalan civil law. This period produced what is considered the first unified political manifesto of Catalanism.

The failure of an initial project proved the feasibility of the Admiral Project, which demonstrated a significant republican Catalan popular base. The Centre Català, however, disappeared in the mid-1890s.

A new generation of intellectuals, including Riba, founded the Lliga de Catalunya in 1887. Its primary objectives included:

• Defense of Catalan civil law.
• Promotion of protectionism.
• Advocacy for exclusively Catalan political action.

One of their first significant initiatives was a message addressed to the Queen Regent.

Traditionalist Catalanism: Torras i Bages

Traditionalist Catalanism advocated for the administrative decentralization of Spain. During the Restoration period, it found a space within the clergy, offering a more conservative form of liberalism.

Vigatanism emerged as a cultural and intellectual movement, fostered by members of ecclesiastical institutions. Torras i Bages, a bishop of Vic, was a key figure who championed a Catalan identity deeply rooted in Christian values. He sought to establish a Catholic and conservative alternative to the burgeoning secular Catalanism.

Unió Catalanista and the Bases de Manresa

The Unió Catalanista aimed to establish itself as a federation encompassing all Catalanist groups, centers, and publications. Its core objectives were to disseminate regionalist ideas and to forge a common program for all Catalanist factions. The Unió Catalanista achieved a significant triumph with its set of Catalanist theses over the more general regionalist proposals.

The foundational document, the Bases de Manresa, outlined a federal structure for Spain, defining central and regional powers, with specific and extensive powers granted to Catalonia. Key proposals included:

• Defense of full sovereignty for Catalonia.
• Proclamation of Catalan as the official language.
• Requirement that public offices in Catalonia be exercised exclusively by Catalans.
• Proposal for the re-establishment of old Catalan institutions.

The Lliga Regionalista: A Modern Political Force

The foundation of the Lliga Regionalista marked a pivotal moment, consolidating Catalanism's electoral strength. Catalonia became a contested political arena between Republicans and Catalanists. The Lliga Regionalista is widely regarded as the first modern political party in Spain, characterized by its effective organization and skillful reformist tactics. It wielded considerable influence among industrialists, merchants, and professionals in Barcelona.