Why are there not Basque seperatists in France?

[Rascolnikova]

. . .
that was really it. Anybody know?

I'm not sure that there aren't, just that I don't hear about them--and I hear about the ones in Spain all the time.

[Demogorgon]

There are, just not as many. They are more prominent in Spain due to the history of much greater of the Basque country there under Franco.

[Trystan]

There are, just not as many. They are more prominent in Spain due to the history of much greater of the Basque country there under Franco.

This.

[Rascolnikova]

do the French ones ever blow things up or get their party made illegal?

[bolchevique]

Because the Spanish Bourgoise wasn't able to unify the country, from the early beginning the Spanish Capitalist class is one of the weakest in Europe,with million of landless peasants, The emigration in the 50-60 sent these millions of workers to the factory of Europe, but still persist the landlordism in Andalucia, and certain problems related to the Bourgoes revolution

[ComradeOm]

bolchevique is broadly correct. France is very much a unitary state with the interests of the departments firmly subordinated to the central government. Historically this centralisation dates from the administrative structures put in place during the Revolution (when the provinces were folded into a larger department) and Napoleon but the basic concept of the 'One and Indivisible French Republic' survives to this day. In particular the emergence of a secular and centralised education programme in the late 19th C was crucial to destroying local cultures and identities

In contrast Spain is probably Europe's most decentralised state. Unlike France the 19th C bourgeoisie were unable to stamp their authority on the entire nation and significant regional identities and structures persist. These differences flared up during the Civil War and were only exacerbated by Franco's repression. In short a Spanish Basque is much more likely to be Basque first and Spanish second. North of the border the perception is French first and Basque second

[bcbm]

ETA and other Basque groups have focused most of their military activities in Spain, while using France as more of a hideout.