If You Want To Understand The Next 10 Years, Study Spain

Tyler Durden's picture

Authored by Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog,

Some of you may be confused as to why a U.S. citizen living in Colorado has become so completely obsessed with what’s going on in Spain. Bear with me, there’s a method to my madness.

I believe what’s currently happening in Spain represents a crucial microcosm for what we’ll see sweep across the entire planet over the next ten years.

Some of you will want to have a discussion about who’s right and who’s wrong in this particular affair, but that’s besides the point. It doesn’t matter which side you favor, what matters is that Madrid/Catalonia is an example of the forces of centralization duking it out with forces of decentralization.

Madrid represents the nation-state as we know it, with its leaders claiming Spain is forever indivisible according to the constitution. Madrid has essentially proclaimed there’s no possible avenue to independence from a centralized Spain even if various regions decide in large number they wish to be independent. This sort of attitude will be seen as unacceptable and primitive by increasingly large numbers of humans in the years ahead. Catalonia should be seen as a canary in the coal mine. The forces of decentralization are rising, but entrenched centralized institutions and the bureaucrats running them will become increasingly terrified, panicked and oppressive.

As I’ve discussed, this isn’t coming out of nowhere. Humanity’s current established centralized institutions and nation-states have become clownishly corrupt, merely existing to protect and enrich the powerful/connected as opposed to benefiting the population at large. As such, legitimacy has been shattered and people have begun to demand a new way. Whether we see this with the rising popularity of Bitcoin, or the UK decision to leave the EU, evidence is everywhere and we’ve already passed the point of no return. This is precisely why EU leaders are rallying around Madrid. They’re scared to death and fear they might be next. They’re probably right.

Before we continue, I want to revisit something I pointed out in last week’s post, Surprisingly, I’m Quite Optimistic About the Future:

Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll see sufficient change in this regard without hardship. This hardship is likely to occur as the old paradigm becomes more authoritarian and paranoid as it lashes out in an attempt to solidify and expand control. Of course, we’re already seeing this all around us, but it’s likely to get even worse in the years ahead. Don’t be afraid of it, understand that it’s coming and accept that this is all part of the change process. Did you really think control-freak authoritarians would give up without a fight?

If you want to see how a control-freak authoritarian responds to a situation, just look at how Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy has responded to Catalonia. People like him simply can’t help themselves, it’s in their nature and all they know is the fist of violence. As I noted in last week’s post on the topic, those in favor of Catalan independence have thus far played the situation flawlessly. For this to turn out positively for the forces of decentralization, the Spanish authorities must be encouraged to act increasingly thuggish, which will in turn bolster more and more popular support for independence. This has already started to happen, and will likely accelerate in the weeks ahead as Rajoy is about to make the biggest mistake of all by activating Article 155.

It’s really important to understand how irresponsibly aggressive Madrid is about to become before moving on. Here’s some background courtesy of Bloomberg:

Rajoy on Saturday shocked many observers with plans to clear out the entire separatist administration in Barcelona and take control of key institutions including public media and the regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra. Spain’s chief prosecutor said that if Puigdemont declares independence he would face as much as 30 years in jail and signaled that he could be arrested immediately.

 

“Catalan government officials and many within the Mossos and Catalan media are not just going to stand down without a fight,” said Caroline Gray, a lecturer in politics and Spanish at Aston University in the U.K. who specializes in nationalist movements. “The big question for me, really, is how Madrid is actually going to implement its proposed actions in Catalonia.”

 

Rajoy is wielding the untested powers of Article 155 of Spain’s 1978 Constitution to try to impose central government control on Catalonia. The aim ultimately is to trigger regional elections within six months.

Madrid is making a mistake of enormous historical significance here. First, you don’t need to be a genius to see that him forcibly taking over control over key aspects of Catalan civil society will only make the independence movement grow in strength, passion and numbers. Second, does Rajoy really think he’s going to be able to make this happen without enormous amounts of civil unrest? Not a chance.

Here’s some of what’s already being planned, according to Bloomberg:

Catalan separatists are mobilizing a human shield to block efforts by the Spanish authorities to take control of the breakaway region as both sides prepare to escalate the political conflict.

 

Groups will concentrate their activists around the regional government’s headquarters in Barcelona’s Gothic quarter and the nearby parliament building, according to two people familiar with the plans, asking not to be identified by name. They expect Spanish police to use force to try to shut down the administration and will put their bodies on the line, said one person.

 

“We are calling for a peaceful and democratic defense of the institutions,” Lluis Corominas, the leader of the main separatist group in the Catalan Parliament, said at a press conference in Barcelona. Regional President Carles Puigdemont has called for similar action.

 

The separatists have shown they can rally support. A crowd estimated by local police at around 450,000 joined him to protest in central Barcelona after Rajoy announced his plans. CUP, a pro-secessionist party, on Monday called for mass civil disobedience in Catalonia, Ara newspaper reported.

The key dates this week will be on Thursday and Friday. Thursday’s when the Catalan assembly is set to meet to prepare a response to Spain taking over the region by force. Friday is when Spain’s national Senate will vote to implement direct rule. In my opinion, it would be a big mistake for the Catalan government to declare independence at this stage. Madrid needs to continue to be seen as the unreasonable aggressor, which is what will happen if article 155 is activated Friday. For Catalonia to succeed, the public must become even more outraged than it already is. Any attempt by Madrid at taking over Catalan civil society by force will achieve this in spades.

If I’m correct in my forecast, the entire world will be looking at similar forces of decentralization battling it out with discredited, entrenched centralized power structures over the next decade or so. I think this will result in virtually all of our current institutions collapsing and being replaced by a completely different paradigm. In my view, the new paradigm will be increasingly defined by decentralized structures. Terms like “peer-to-peer,” “distributed” and “direct democracy” will become increasingly ubiquitous as we begin to lay down the foundations for a far less top-down, centralized and authoritarian approach to human affairs.

This isn’t to say the process will be easy or smooth, but that’s where I think all of this is headed. The struggle between Madrid and Catalonia represents a high-profile and early example of this struggle and those of us who wish for a more decentralized world need to pay very close attention since many lessons can be learned from this historic crisis.

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wisehiney's picture

Appomattox was just half time baby.

BullyBearish's picture

"...the forces of centralization duking it out with forces of decentralization."

 

...another way of saying, the bankers and their minions versus the PEOPLE.  control is the goal, centralization of everything is the enabler...

Åristotle's picture

"STUFF IT DOWN YOUR PANTS! YOU GOT IT?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAF9OAO4TtA

Hooker exchanges nothing for the deceived's something. What did Hooker have to do? Deceive and put on a show.

Its all about the show.

TBT or not TBT's picture

Or anyway battle between demographic collapse and end stage welfare state fiscal cancer. 

Slack Jack's picture

Don't be fooled into violence and war.

This article outlines roughly how people were fooled into the second world war:

Proof that Adolf Hitler was a double agent.

http://www.preearth.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1174

It seems pretty weird when you first read it, but its clearly true.

Overflow's picture

If you want to know the future of Western Civilization please listen to a catalan expert. )Spanish)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqiIsWi-MMg

 

this people is simply nuts.

MozartIII's picture

Look at Argentina. Same shit, decades later!

HRH Feant2's picture

Rather than provide legal citizens with incentives to reproduce, Europe decided to invite Nafricans and Syrians to show up. More gimmigrants? I think LBJ and the Great Society program were major fuck ups. Europe makes LBJ look like a genius.

This invitation to the Muslim and African hordes is not going to turn out well, for Europe. I predict it will end in tears and blood. Lots and lots of blood. Some of you thought the Germans were mean to Jewish people? Wait until they are fed up with the gimmigrants.

Once Europe goes full retard on the Muslim hordes WWII will look like a cake walk.

Standard disclaimer: I hope I am wrong.

Crazy Or Not's picture

Europe is too many chiefs overseeing more chiefs ... proves falacy of design by committee.
Outstanding idea to bomb Countries then invite citizens to move in. LBJ Genius x 1000
I hope you're wrong too....but somehow I don't think so.

HRH Feant2's picture

I have been paying attention to the Muslim invasion for at least three years. Not pretty. I have also read a number of books including "The Strange Death of Europe," "The Red Cliffs of Zerhoun," "Enemy of the State" by Tommy Robinson, "Muslim Mafia."

I hope I am wrong. But the evidence, thus far, does not indicate a happy outcome.

logicalman's picture

Government should have nothing to do with reproduction.

The only reason governments 'encourage' reproduction is to ensure that there are enough tax paying debt slaves to keep their criminal games going.

If you have a kid for a tax break there's something very wrong with you.

Governments destroy societies causing large numbers of people to try to escape the mess. They then allow/encourage immigration into other societies for the same reason - financial slaves.

They then use the problems caused as a divide and conquer technique, again, to keep their criminal games going.

Humans need to wake up to reality.

HRH Feant2's picture

As far as I can tell only about 3% of the population are awake.

Being asleep is so much more comfortable.

Being awake requires effort. I don't see many people putting in the effort. I don't.

Small homogenous populations with decentralized government do well. Example? I hate to say it, but Switzerland. It is the singular European country that refuses to become engaged in wars and that requires service members to keep a gun in their home.

Good solution. The US is already basically five or six countries. Time to break it up. I am guessing after the crack-up boom it will happen.

BobEore's picture

As far as I can tell only about 3% of the population are awake.

Priceless self deception! On the part of one of the 'sleepwalkers' here who pride themselves on being ....

cutting edge ... which on 'the hedge'... means quick to the uptake of every latest meme by which the world gets daily divided into comic book action hero pastiches...

|Small homogenous populations with decentralized government do well| -

xcept - when u look under the hood... switzerland is an example of a melding of multi-lingual and religious groups whose unity is a function of WHAT IT MEANS IN REAL LIFE to have to drop phony distinctions imposed by outside forces who use divisions in order to achieve hegemony...

and as such an example... points away from "europe" and its' multiple discords... back towards the peeples and region which you so laughably DESPISE. iN THE MUDDLED EAST...

to which "Syrians" and your other 'bad actors' are returning home in droves now... to rebuild their societies after YET ANOTHER looting by the $power and its' EURO-MERIKAN PROXY FORCES...

the rise of the secular, pluralistic "non-state"... as exemplified by the 'CANTONS' experiment in 'northern syria' is proceeding apace... outside the gaze - or necessity of - the dominant occidental medias ... and the return of a neo-Meditteranean/Aegean Civilization looms imminent. The SAME civilization which is at the real root of Europe's past... before the talmudic terror descended pon both! We will find out what 'homogenous' really means.

Your dreams of a revanchist Atlanticist-exceptionalist empire are yesterdays' news... and ...

yes indeed - you are "wrong"... in all the right ways! The 'breakup' of the USA will be the death knell of the occident and its period of global ascendance.

https://storify.com/SuaveBel/toprak-ve-turna-beyond-state-terrorism-self...

https://storify.com/SuaveBel/back-to-beginnings-anaximander-and-the-root...

ScratInTheHat's picture

I'd be fine with a new CSA!

Snout the First's picture

I'm just curious how much more it will take before the remaining white Europeans get fed up, grow a pair, and take back their cities. Or have they been so brainwashed by the shite the elites have been feeding them, that they'll just give up without a fight?

Crazy Or Not's picture

Spain Democratic? – Compare: Venice /Scottish referendums
Rajoy corrupt? See: Bankia Black C.Cards,  Finance minister Fraud
Why wish to leave Spain?

Catalonia military option? Spain (EU) = NATO vs Serbia=Catalonia

Article 10 of European Convention on Human Rights, (Spain signed). Art. 10 ECHR clearly permits the right of people to “receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers”.   

My prediction: this will go down to the wire, and then some.

Slack Jack's picture

Don't be fooled into violence and war.

This article outlines roughly how people were fooled into the second world war:

Proof that Adolf Hitler was a double agent.

http://www.preearth.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1174

It seems pretty weird when you first read it, but its clearly true.

Crazy Or Not's picture

I think you just spam tagged me. 
If you believe that garbage smoke less and get out more.

SILVERGEDDON's picture

What, you don't trust Congress and the Senate to serve the people of the USA as is their Constitutional duty ? 

Gosh, what a shock.

" Nuke them from orbit - it is the only way to be sure. " 

Gods's picture

coming to America 2018

duo's picture

Can we let California become its own country?

logicalman's picture

Can we let each individual to become their own person?

Who is 'we' and why should 'we' have any say in what others wish to do if they are not harming anyone else?

 

the late idi armin's picture

technically its a sovereign country now.

 

shankster's picture

Yes and we should and any other states that so desire. Will of the People.

Sam Spayed's picture

As long as the US gets to keep it's military bases and National Parks in CA, and CA pays its share of the national debt before it leaves, and every citizen of the new CA nation gives up US citizenship and all claims to SS and other benefits from the US gov't, they are free to go.

EEEEEEEEEEE's picture
"If You Want To Understand The Next 10 Years, Study Spain"

 

Precisely this!!! Now matter how much money USA keeps pouring into Europe. It will never be enough and then the Europeans want to split themselves off.

If you call them nazis and racist, they simply surround themselves with niggers and stinky muslims and then they will separate themselves anyway.

 

DOWN WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION! NO MONEY FOR EUROPE ANYMORE!

Boeing Boy's picture

Banksters are now trying to arrange a 2nd referendum in UK over Brexit.
Time for people to stand up and be counted. The interesting dynamic in Catalonia is the very real possibility of local police siding with the people. If that had happened in Greece all bets would have been off..

The Wizard's picture

Some of you will want to have a discussion about who’s right and who’s wrong in this particular affair, but that’s besides the point. It doesn’t matter which side you favor, what matters is that Madrid/Catalonia is an example of the forces of centralization duking it out with forces of decentralization.

This statement is the bottom line. A concept I have been claiming for years on end. Authority for social constructs and behavior (government), must be at the local level  for an effective cultural basis.

Greece is a perfect example of being subjected to the European Union. It is a function of controlling the currency, just like granddaddy Rothschild predicted.

The only way they could defeat the Eurozone was to develop a demand for a sovereign currency.

lucitanian's picture

Absolutely spot on the mark. Although not all the cases will involve separatism, or regional autonomy as in northern Italy this weekend, or Scotland once the UK extracts them against their will from the EU. France seems to be cracking up too under the heavy hand of Macron. And the populist vote of Austria will also put the cat among the pigeons.

IMHO it will all go much faster and take effect all round than earlier than 5 years. The die is cast. The elite centralists are already feeling the pinch and are at a loss for any response that will calm the sheep.

the late idi armin's picture

and when the money runs out.

 

G_T_A_44's picture

The Real ID Card for domestic flying beginning 2018= 'Paper' Please'. It's going to get Much worse before better. Aaron Russo warned of all of this. May he R.I.P. A Great Patriot!

two hoots's picture

What are the results of the peoples vote:

Brexit - not yet.

Catalonia - not yet.

The power of the people is what is worth watching, if they still have any? 

If the peoples vote  no longer matters, governments can do whatever so there is nothing to study. 

 

logicalman's picture

What are the results of the people's vote?

Basically, fuck all.

zen0's picture

Welcome to the Hotel California

Wilcox1's picture

Once a central bank is put in place by the relevant eelshits it will not turn loose of a taxpayer. Ever.

are we there yet's picture

Thomas Jefferson knew that big powerful centralized government leads or corruption and tyranny. Always. He was pretty smart.

Hail Spode's picture

Jefferson was a Giant. He said "it is the nature of things for government to grow and liberty to yield ground." That is, even if you start out with a decentralized government in a limited Republic you wind up with what we got- each generation of Americans getting a more centralized state than the previous one regardless of how they vote. To combat centralization we must make a study of the enemy, examine the tools they use to centralize, and design society to fight centralization on purpose. Some thought the Constitution did that, but again we can study history and discern where its provisions were inadequte. Fortunately that study has already been done. The results are in this book, Localism, a philosophy of government.... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B0GACAQ

 

the late idi armin's picture

by the end his life, Jefferson was advocating for sovereignty at the ward level. thinking that states as they existed in 1825 were much too big.

Hail Spode's picture

As the book points out Your Excellency, many of the largest US states are the worst run, and many of the smallest states are the best run. The sixth Pillar of Localism holds that there should be a legal procedure, part of the contract, by which counties should be able to change states, or if there are enough of them to be at least as big and populous as the current smallest state, seceed from the state and form their own state, recognized by the others in the (loose) union.

BidnessMan's picture

This is a replay of Eastern Europe in the late 1980s.  Soviet Union slowly collapsing from within, and most Polish military refusing to kill fellow Poles.  How many Catalan police officers will shoot their neighbors? 

The Romanian military turned on Ceaucescu in one day.  A couple of days later he and his wife were captured, stood up against a wall, and shot over 100 times.  Some reports say there were hundreds of volunteers to be part of the firing squad. Rajoy ought to consider that history. 

besnook's picture

europe has been balkanized since rome was around. if you look at the changing borders of europe over time you will see the hiatus between ww2 and the fall of the berlin wall and the soviet union was a fluke, perhaps arguing fatigue after the war.

the usa is different. it is becoming politically segregated not culturally, ethnically or religiously segregated. what began as a result of early immigrants sticking with their fellow countrymen has nowed devolved into a hyper segregation of politcal leanings. that will be the root of another usa civil war not what is happening in europe.

Crazy Or Not's picture

Re: The Balkans - Clinton did it (him, not her - for once!) - and pals...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoyaOs784K4

Scornd's picture

essentially, the secular world is decades behind Believers as far as Who What Where When and How and what you say
isnt true.

Rebelrebel7's picture

.Those arguing for increased decentralization must be criminals wishing to escape justice, or psychopaths attempting to overthrow the government  so that they can usurp power for their own exploitation,  since they continue their circular logic argument despite the overwhelming evidence that increased decentralization would lead to increased tyranny, corruption, and income inequality. My guess is that they are involved in pimping, human trafficking, illegal porn,illegal medical experimentation, and blackmail.

It is also an act of treason. There is no question about that.

trea·son trzn/ noun
  1. the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.


    "they were convicted of treason"


    synonyms: treacherydisloyaltybetrayal,faithlessness; More
    • the action of betraying someone or something. plural noun: treasons


      "doubt is the ultimate treason against faith"


      synonyms: treacherydisloyaltybetrayal,faithlessness; More

    • historical the crime of murdering someone to whom the murderer owed allegiance, such as a master or husband. noun: petty treason; plural noun: petty treasons

People continue to argue for treasonous decentralization and the anhialation of the constitution, despite the overwhelming evidence that decentralization in absolutely no way guarantees benevolence, efficiency, or freedom. They have failed to provide a single example of success. It happened during the French revolution, and has resulted in absolute failure virtually everywhere else. 

In America we have a centralized federal government,  and decentralized state and local governments. If you hate tyranny and a government accountable to nobody, just wait until someone with absolute power over you is within miles of your residence!

In the decentralized process,:

1.) Local governments across America have seized assets without due process under civil asset forfeiture.

2.) California has decided  to imprison any healthcare worker for not referring to a patient by the patients gender orientation, whether it is a biological contradiction, or not, and for refusing to let a patient share a room with the sex of the gender of their gender identity choice.

3.) Oregon, Colorado, and California have legalized marijuana, and other states have legalized some forms for medical purposes.

4.) New York City has decided to offer free college to its residents.

5) Vermont has a single payer health plan.

6.) Rick Scott of Florida has decided to drug test all food stamp recipients, benefiting his friend's drug testing company.

7.) Michigan governor Rick Schneider decided to place local communities under receivership and appoint politicians and remove elected officials from theirs, and decided to save money by poisoning residents with lead poisoned Flynt River water.

8.) The Army Corps of engineers had warned the governor and mayor of New Orleans a decade prior to Katrina that the levees wouldn't hold. Louisiana received federal funding for repairing the levees, which they had decided to spend on other things.

9.) Sherrif Joe Arpaio had a fetish for Mexican men in pink underwear, so he decided to imprison Mexican men clad in pink underwear to gratify  his kinky fetish.

11.) 46 states have installed microwave weapon technology in cell phone towers to be used against law abiding citizens for the purposes of stealing their money and to weed out political dissidents and those whom they consider to be undesirable. Only an undesirable would not be dissenting against the policies enacted by this fascist government!

12.) 25 cities have committed to 100% renewable energy.

Let's just decentralize banking, war, corporations, education, and global governance.

We can all acknowledge that the constitution currently exists in theory and not in practice, yet, it is still deemed the law of the land, and all who violate it are guilty of treason. 

I am absolutely sure that the overwhelming majority of Americans would like to see stronger enforcement of the constitution as opposed to completely abolishing it!

Total decentralization would be the final coup de grace to any belief that we are entitled to the liberties afforded to us in the Bill of Rights. 

Korea decentralized. Germany decentralized. Charles Hugh Smith wrote an excellent essay on the Fall of Rome, and the consequences of Rome's decentralization. 

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-09-21/embrace-suck-debt-serdom-and-ou...

11 mayors were recently charged with pedophilia by the FBI.

Decentralization could lead to enslavement by local governments, refusal by local governments to let their residents leave the city or state, civil war between local communities over natural resources, walling ports or cities off and preventing the transport of required items and matetials critical for survival or export.