Skift Take
Just because something makes perfect sense doesn't mean it's possible. But Catalan leaders have massive economic powers at their disposal and a Spanish government that is weaker than it would like to be.
Albert Macia is on the board of an IT multinational. Joan Cabanas is an industrial engineer doing project management in the electrical insulation sector.
After a long career working for assorted multinationals, Joan Canadell is now a consultant. And Ramir de Porrate runs a successful radio frequency systems startup.
The four are leading lights in the Catalan Business Circle, an employers organisation uniting 700 small and medium-sized firms who argue – with figures to back it up – that independence is now the region's best and only option.
They cite, first, the stats: Catalonia represents 8% of Spain's territory, 16% of its population, 20% of its GDP, 25% of its tax revenues, and 35% of its exports (and 45% of high-tech exports). In return, it receives (in theory; the real figure may be much less) 11% of government investment.
Beyond the figures, says Cabanas, "the real problem is that our economic mo
