Elite of Economists and Jurists in Validate an Independent Catalonia

One of the odd things about the pro-sovereignty process in Catalonia is the almost unanimous support from the elite of Catalan economists—which practically means the Spanish elite—to the process.

That is what Carlos Sánchez says in online newspaper El Confidencial (18/09/13). A great deal of the best and most influential economists in the country, and of course those with the greatest international projection, support the process, and they are obviously well-informed.

It is the Economy Departments at the Universities of Harvard, Chicago, London, Columbia, Stanford and Pompeu Fabra is Barcelona who are supplying real intellectual firepower that has proven invincible, not only concerning the quantification of the Catalan fiscal deficit with Spain, but also concerning the economic feasibility of a hypothetically independent Catalan state. And it is not just economists, but also renowned legal experts who support the possibility of an independent Catalonia.

But who are these relevant people who support the idea of the viability of the Catalan independence? Let's take a look:

The Wilson Initiative (honouring US President Woodrow Wilson, who defended nations' right to self-determination). All of them are Economists.


- Xavier Sala-i-Martin, the J&M Grossman Professor of Economic Development at Columbia N.Y, earned his Ph.D. in Economics at Harvard.

- Pol Antràs, a Harvard Economics Professor, earned his Ph.D. at the MIT.

- Carles Boix, the Robert Garrett Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Princeton, graduated in Law and in History at Barcelona, earning his Ph.D. in Government at Harvard.

- Jordi Galí, the Director of the Centre for Research in International Economics (CREI), is a Professor at Pompeu Fabra and Research Professor at Barcelona GSE. He obtained his Ph.D. at the MIT under the supervision of Olivier Blanchard, the Chief Economist at the IMF


- Gerard Padró is a Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science and co-director of the Governance, Accountability and Political Economy research programme at the International Growth Centre. He obtained his PhD at the MIT

- Jaume Ventura, a Senior Researcher at the CREI, is a Professor at Pompeu Fabra and Associate Professor at Barcelona GSE. He obtained his PhD at Harvard and has taught at the MIT and at Chicago.


You'll find summaries of each here: http://wilson.cat/en/qui-som/el-col-lectiu.html



Because the sovereignty process in Catalonia spans right across the ideological divide, it sees Jordi Galí, a Neo-Keynesian, working together with a libertarian like Xavier Sala-i-Martin.

At a more institutional level, support for sovereignty is complemented by the Catalan National Transition Advisory Board (CATN) that counts among its ranks several award-winning experts such as:

- Núria Bosch, a Professor at Barcelona and one of the most acknowledged experts in the country in fiscal federalism and inter-territorial fiscal balances.

- Germà Bel is a Professor at Barcelona and a visiting professor at at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton.

- Carles Boix, as mentioned above, also a member of the Wilson Initiative

- Ferran Requejo, a Professor of Political Science at Pompeu Fabra Barcelona

- Carles Viver Pi-Sunyer, the Board's Chair, a former Vice-President of the Constitutional Court and a renowned legal jurist.

- Joan Vintró, a Professor of Constitutional Law at Barcelona



The intellectual economic and legal arsenal associated with the pro-sovereignty cause, or at least with the right to decide in a referendum, does not end here.

The Advisory Board for Economic Reactivation and Growth is Catalan President Mas' advisory body for economic issues. Among its members are amongst others:


- Salvador Alemany, the President of the Board, would probably not count himself in as pro-independence, but the fact the President of Abertis, a major Spanish infrastructure management company, fully supports the feasibility of Catalonia as an independent state and agrees "fully", in his own words, with the Catalan Minister of Economy, Mr. Mas-Colell, is significant.


- Germà Bel, as mentioned above, is also a member of the CATN

- Jordi Gual, the Chief of the Research Department at La Caixa, the major Catalan bank

- Joan B. Casas, the President of the Catalonia Economists' Association

- Guillem López Casasnovas, a Counsellor at the Bank of Spain. Not openly pro- independence, but scathingly critical of the policies of the Spanish Governments concerning Catalonia

Xavier Vives, King Juan Carlos award in Economy


Marta Espasa, Ph D. in Economic Science, a Specialist in Public Economy, Autonomic and Local funding and fiscal balances

Oriol Amat, Ph. D. in Economic Sciences at Barcelona Autonomous Univ. he is a Professor of Financial Economics and Accounting at Pompeu Fabra Barcelona. He is the Chairman of ECIF (Expert Economists in Accountancy & Financial Information) and the VP of the Catalan Accounting Association. He is also a board member of the National Stock Exchange Commission.



And that's not to mention two notables such as the last two Ministers of Economy of the Catalan Government—the current minister Andreu Mas-Colell, who was a Professor at Harvard for 15 years and whose name was mentioned as a possible Economy Nobel prizewinner, and the Professor in Public Revenue Antoni Castells, his predecessor—who have both openly embraced sovereignty.


It is obvious that not everybody in the lists above are not wholly in favour of Catalan independence—a significant majority are, however. But in any case, none of them have shown opposition to the process, and of course, all of them are in favour of a referendum.

There is a good fistful of the most renowned intellectuals in Spain—Catalans it is true—in favour of independence. Of course there will be also people against, but this doesn't reduce the value of this group. At least they openly support a referendum and the feasibility of an independent Catalonia.


Opposing all the above, on the side of unionism, there is basically insults, threats, bald pressure and disparagement, mostly in very general terms, and sometimes outright insulting.

No wonder this correlation of forces and the non-existent capacity of argumentation of the side of Spanish unionism, the pro-independence movement does not cease to grow in Catalonia.




Àlex Furest

Economist