“This is perhaps the most important analysis from a Marxist perspective of the October 2017 events in Catalonia. It brings forward both the dynamic and the contradictions of the pro-independence movement, situating it in the broader context the deeper hegemonic crisis of the Spanish State. And it underscores the crucial challenge of how to rethink the very notion of the people at the intersection of class, nation, gender and race, and as way to revisit the question of a potential subaltern hegemony. A must read for anyone interested in contemporary questions of radical left strategy.” Panagiotis Sotiris, Hellenic Open University
“This book does a wonderful job of dissecting the Catalan independence movement, analysing its victories, defeats, and the broader implications of its strategic decisions. We are provided with profound insights into the interplay of internal weaknesses and state repression, whilst offered a nuanced critique of both leadership choices and institutional crises. A timely exploration of political dynamics, and enduring challenges, this book is essential for understanding Catalonia’s past and envisioning its future.” Andrew Dowling, Reader in Contemporary Spanish History, Cardiff University
“Antentas has written a magisterial analysis of the failure of the Catalan struggle for independence, a defining political event of the 2010s. If the Left across Europe is to recover its strategic bearings, it needs to be familiar with his account of class, nation, state, sovereignty, and internationalism in Catalonia.” Costas Lapavitsas, SOAS, University of London
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Josep Maria Antentas is a sociologist, professor at the Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) in Barcelona. He is member of the editorial board of the journal Historical Materialism and of the Advisory Council of the journal Viento Sur. He has written extensively on Spanish and Catalan politics and social movements. He is co-author with Esther Vivas of Planeta Indignado (2012) and Resistencias Globales – De Seattle a la crisis de Wall Street (2009).