The Balkanization of Europe: Languages

     Tim Brown wants a prediction. He says:
     Several European nations are coping with multiple language problems. Switzerland has long had four - German, French, Italian and Romansch, but Spain now also has four official languages - Castilian, Catalan, Euskadi (Basque), and Gallego. Sicilian dialect is now taught in Italy. The UK is no longer united, and many hope it will soon not be a kingdom. If a nation with more than one language cannot survive, when do WAISERs expect Switzerland, Spain, the UK and others to come apart?


     My comment: Predictions are always tricky. Switzerland has good reason, as a small country surrounded by large ones, to stay together, but it is an uneasy relationship. There are constant arguments about the "sovereignty" of the cantons.
     Spanish unity is fragile. Following the Pact of Estella, a new assembly has been formed representing the municipalities of the Basque areas of Spain and France. It has just held a big assembly in Bilbao. Prime Minister José María Aznar is very skilled and calm. He simply says that the assembly is unconstitutional, but he has made it clear that Spain would use force to prevent the region's secession, and the French government certainly would too. The Gallegos and others quote the example of Ireland as proof that a small country can prosper. There again Aznar has expressed himself carefully. The Catalan situation is unstable, as the present electoral campaign shows.
     If there were a major economic or political crisis, a situation might arise like that in the Second Republic, when the threat of the disintegration of Spain led to the Civil War, the Nationalists fighting under the slogan "¡España una y grande!"--one great Spain.
     In Italy, the Padania movement in northern Italy was a flop, but there again that may not be the last word. In Britain Tony Blair seems almost to be encouraging the kingdom's breakup, to be replaced by a Council of the Isles which would include Ireland as well. It is all very hazy. In brief I don't want to make predictions. I am convinced, however, that the revival of odd languages (more in Spain alone than those named) is a balkanizing factor and makes communication difficult. Some have proposed that English become the common European language, but the Germans would complain and the French would scream.

Ronald Hilton - 09/20/99