Galicianism (Galicia)

Galicianism is a political ideology of nationalist character whose objective is the defense of Galicia and its culture by the means of the establishment and strengthening of its own institutions.

The concept of Galicianism first appeared in the mid-nineteenth century. At that time in history it was initially known as "provincialism". Soon it was referred to as regionalism. This was a reaction to the increased centralization of the Spanish State (following the French model of nation state) which attempted to eradicate internal administrative, and to some point cultural, differences within the country.

The term Galicianism as such was coined after the establishment of the Irmandades da Fala (Brotherhoods of the Galician Language), in 1916, and the apparition of modern Galician nationalism. The Irmandades da Fala was an organization hosting members from both the lower-middle-class and intellectuals. This organization was led by Antón Vilar Ponte. Within the next decade (1920s), this organization was strengthened by two groups: the nationalists, led by the Partido Galeguista (Galicianist Party) of Castelao, and the federalist republicans of ORGA. ORGA was directed by Santiago Casares and Antón Vilar.

In 1931, with the coming of the Spanish Second Republic, a number of drafts for a Statute of Autonomy were prepared by the Galicianists. The final version was approved in December 1932 at the Municipal Assembly of the Galician capital, Santiago de Compostela. The Statute of Autonomy was approved by referendum on 28 June 1936, and later ratified by the Spanish Parliament in 1937. However, the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship put an end to the prospect of autonomy. At the end of the war (1939) many Galicianists were either executed or had to leave for exile.

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