France and Spain: different meanings of the concept of unity

Abstract

This article sets out a comparative analysis between the French and Spanish nationalism by looking into the differences and similarities existing between the Basque Country and Catalonia on the one hand and Corsica and Bretagne on the other. While Bretonne nationalism was largely compromised by its collaboration with the Nazi authorities during the Second World War, its comparison with Basque Nationalism offers some interesting findings. Studying the link between nationalism and economy does also reveal how the nationalist ideology has spurred Bretagne�s economic growth. The coming nationalism scenario present us with many uncertainties related to demographic evolution and growing immigration. These might affect the scope of the different nationalist ideologies in both countries.