What is really claimed by the Catalan's government is the right of self-determination, that is the right for people living in Catalonia to decide their future.

What is really claimed by the Catalan's government is the right of self-determination, that is the right for people living in Catalonia to decide their future. Spain's government oppose to that right, hence the conflict. To put in perspective, there have been other situations in the history of humanity where various stakeholders did not agree on rights being granted, sometimes even involving violence or even war. Examples are the right of women to vote or the abolition of slavery.