Even if Catalonia somehow manages to enforce its declaration, the economic consequences will be so devastating that they will reverse course in due time.
Even if Catalonia somehow manages to enforce its declaration, the economic consequences will be so devastating that they will reverse course in due time.
If anything, economic troubles reinforce the determination.
Once people take independence as a question of pride, they're extremelly reluctant of considering selling their independence for money.
Anyway, I think the calculus is unique in this case. We are already seeing major companies move their headquarters out of Catalonia. Catalonia's independence would mean disruption of access to EU common market benefits and Schengen. Also they couldn't stop smaller provinces from voting to rejoin Spain.
Not sufficient to win maybe, but definitely to mandate some sort of peacekeepers.