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That was eons ago under completely different circumstances. Spain is a democracy, Norway-Sweden was not.

• gjjrfcbugxbhf 9y ago
  Hence the Catalan's are attempting democratic means...
• yxhuvud 9y ago
  Depends on where you draw the line of what is a democracy. Sweden was certainly on the way towards it. There were elections and the parliament was pretty powerful (though less powerful than today. But that change happened in '72, and you'd be hard pressed to claim Sweden wasn't democratic before that). Votes were still weighted towards the rich, and women couldn't normally vote yet, though.
• gjjrfcbugxbhf 9y ago
  Norway came to be controlled by Denmark then Sweden by the same type of historic accident as the Catalans by Spain. Norway was lucky enough to take the chance at independence 100 years ago. Why should the Catalans not have the same opportunity to control their own future if they do wish?
  • dgut 9y ago
    Apples and oranges. Norway (a composite of smaller kingdoms) was a "nation" prior to that, Catalonia has never been a nation. Norway-Denmark were a voluntary real union, and Norway-Sweden a forced personal union. Barcelona did conquer the areas around itself (Catalonia) and later merged through marriage with Aragon, becoming essentially the greater Crown of Aragon (Aragon+Catalonia). Then merged with Castille through marriage and whatnot. Where are we going to draw the lines, and at what point in history do we conclude the Spanish indeed conquered Catalonia? The formation of the modern European states are fussy, but the current nationalist narratives are built on very thin air.