Breton nationalism
Breton nationalism (Breton: Broadelouriezh Vrezhon, French: Nationalisme breton) is the nationalism of the historical province of Brittany, France. Brittany is considered to be one of the six Celtic nations (along with Cornwall, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales).
Breton nationalism was a political current that appeared in the 1920s in the second Emsav, and claiming Brittany's independence.
The political aspirations of Breton nationalists include the desire to obtain the right to self-rule, whether within France or independently of it, and to acquire more power in the European Union, United Nations and other international institutions.
Breton cultural nationalism includes an important linguistic component, with Breton and Gallo speakers seeking equality with the French language in the region. Cultural nationalists seek to reinvigorate Breton music, traditions, and symbols and forging strength links with other Celtic nations.
The French position includes a range of views, from allowing Brittany a devolved government to curbing wishes for independence.
Contemporary political parties or movements holding Breton nationalist views are the
.Positioning within the Breton movement
The academic
He thus opposes it to regionalism which aims for an administrative redeployment granting autonomy at the regional level, and at the Breton federalism, which seeks it to set up a federal organization of the territory.[1]
History
Beginnings in the early 1910s
D'Ar Bobl to the Breton nationalist party
Several authors, cultural groups, or regionalist political groups use the expression of "Breton nation" as from 19th century but without this one falls under nationalist dimension. It is only at the beginning of the 20th century that a nationalist current in Brittany began to be constituted. Imitating the French nationalism of the time, they focused their speech on the defense of Breton language and valorization of the history of Brittany; however, the Breton Nationalist movement distinguished itself by seeking to legitimize its actions by comparing themselves with those of other European minorities, "Celts" in particular, like those of Wales and especially of Ireland.[2]
By the end of the 1900s, the journal
First strategic positioning
The group is at odds with
This current is also positioned face to face with events and international actors, especially in the
Dynamism of the 1920s
Breton regional group at the Unvaniez Yaouankiz Vreiz
After the
The ideology of the group was initially[12] and partially[13] in a "maurrasian movement",[12][13] but then quickly moved in towards nationalism.[15] The Breton Regionalist Group took the name of Unvaniez Yaouankiz Vreiz in May 1920, whose status indicates that it aims at a "return to independent national life". Its newspaper Breiz Atao also evolved by taking as subtitle "monthly magazine of Breton nationalism" in January 1921, then that of "the Breton nation" in July of the same year.[16]
Attempt, from Breton regionalism, to Alsatian autonomy, to Irish nationalism
The nationalists aim at first not to support the Breton population, but on their economic circles. They intend to become the thinking head in this elitist process.
The nationalists also seek to get out of the French political markers of the time, left and right, and take up the slogan "na ru na gwenn, Breiziz hepken" already used by the first nationalists.[17] This positioning is reinforced by the fact that no French political party pays attention to the demands expressed by the regions. They also seek to emancipate themselves from the Church and the clerical milieus from which the regionalists come, claiming a Celtic heritage, the Catholic religion alienating them the Bretons.[20] The Alsatian affair in 1926, during which the Cartel des Gauches tries to return to the Concordat in Alsace-Moselle, causes an autonomist agitation in this region, and the Breton nationalists taking support on this example decide to form a political party.[21]
Opinion polling
According to an opinion poll conducted in 2013, 18% of Bretons support Breton independence. The poll also found that 37% would describe themselves as Breton first, while 48% would describe themselves as French first.[22]
See also
References
- ^ a b Nicolas 2007, p. 33
- ^ Chartier 2010, p. 265
- ^ a b Nicolas 2007, p. 64
- ^ Chartier 2010, p. 266
- ^ a b c Nicolas 2007, p. 68
- OCLC 668861.
- ^ Nicolas 2007, p. 65
- ^ Chartier 2010, p. 267
- ^ Chartier 2010, p. 268
- ^ Chartier 2010, p. 270
- ^ Nicolas 2007, p. 67
- ^ a b c Chartier 2010, p. 314
- ^ a b c d Nicolas 2007, p. 69
- ^ Nicolas 2012, p. 32
- ^ Chartier 2010, p. 315
- ^ a b Nicolas 2007, p. 70
- ^ a b c Nicolas 2007, p. 71
- ^ Chartier 2010, p. 332
- ^ Chartier 2010, p. 261
- ^ Nicolas 2007, p. 72
- ^ Nicolas 2007, p. 73
- ^ "One in five Bretons want independence: poll". thelocals.fr.
Works cited
- Cadiou, Georges (2013). EMSAV : dictionnaire critique, historique et biographique : le mouvement breton de A à Z du XIXe siècle à nos jours. Spézet: Coop Breizh. ISBN 9782843465741.
- Chartier, Erwan (2010). La construction de l'interceltisme en Bretagne, des origines à nos jours : mise en perspective historique et idéologique (PDF) (PhD) (in French). Université Européenne de Bretagne. HAL tel-00575335v1.
- Galliou, Patrick; Jones, Michael (1991). The Bretons. Oxford: Blackwells. ISBN 978-0-631-16406-7.
- ISBN 978-0-907628-80-4.
- Leach, Daniel (August 2010). "'A sense of Nordism': the impact of Germanic assistance upon the militant interwar Breton nationalist movement". European Review of History. 17 (4): 629–646. S2CID 153659806.
- Nicolas, Michel (2007). Histoire de la revendication bretonne, ou la revanche de la démocratie locale sur le "démocratisme": des origines jusqu'aux années 1980. Bibliophiles de Bretagne (in French). Vol. 4. Breizh. ISBN 978-2-84346-312-9.
- Nicolas, Michel (2012). Breizh, la Bretagne revendiquée : des années 1980 à nos jours. Morlaix: Skol Vreizh. ISBN 978-2-915623-81-9.
- ISBN 978-0-903521-22-2.
- O'Callaghan, Michael (1982). "Separatism in Brittany" (PDF). Durham University Thesis: 1–239. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- Smith, Julia (1992). Province and Empire: Brittany and the Carolingians. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-38285-4.