Distorted vision
The imperviousness of the Castilian market to cultural output in Catalan
Historically, Catalan language and culture has had a mixed response from its Castilian counterpart. Admired during the Renaissance, during the modern period Catalan was identified with federalism; this placed it at odds with the Jacobin principle that underlay the Spanish state. The object of sympathy during periods of twentieth-century repression, Catalan culture soon found enemies when it declared independence. Today, Catalan cultural products are seen as a political instrument rather than a response to genuine demand. As a result, it is easier for a Catalan author to get published in German or Dutch than in Castilian Spanish.
