Brief thoughts on Spain
Ok… new year and new twist to this blog. I have decided that from time to time, I will expand the topics and briefly talk about other things such as politics, food, and other interesting random things that I bump into (i.e. not just research).
So here is the first one: since I moved back to Spain I have noticed how much effort we spend discussing about issues such as terrorism or national identity, which although extremely important, are likely diverting a lot of the focus and energy needed to tackle some other main challenges that Spain faces over the coming years.
I have recently read two articles, which I believe crystallize very well some of these problems (e.g. education, labor market, culture). In general, a lot of similar things could be said for most of the southern EU countries, not just Spain.
The second transition (the Economist, 2008):
On the challenges that Spain faces over the long run and how to avoid a “gentle decline”.
[Article]
Locals vs Cosmopolitans (Xavier Sala i Martin, La Vanguardia, 2007):
Extremely well written article on how the world can be viewed both from a local or a global point of view, and the challenges that a country/region faces when globalization hits in and you still think locally.
[Spanish Article]
[Google Translated]
Javier:
I think that the Xavier’s article is brilliant! I hope you continuing blogging good posts in 2008!
13 January 2008, 9:04 amPedro Soria-Rodriguez:
Congratulations on your blog, Pablo.
I think many people share your point of view that politicians in Spain live on problems that don’t really exist, but they need to make up new problems to justify their “solutions” to those problems, while covering up the real important issues. I fully agree with you on this, but I think the example of ETA you chose is probably not adequate. We do spend lots of time and energy in Spain on this issue, but this is one problem we really have in Spain. National identity discussions… now that’s a true complete waste of time.
Xavier Sala talks in his article about Cataluña in particular, and his conclusions are right. I think the same conclusions can be drawn about Spain as a whole. Entrepeneurship and innovation in Spain are largely curbed by the local-minded way of thinking in Spain: more often than not, all that matters is who you are, who you know, or who knows you (local thinking), instead of what you know, what you can do (what you can bring to the local scene from outside, from the global environment)
Spain is going nowhere but down with this mindset. Of course, job market policies, economic policy and subsidy policies (among others) are not helping either to kick-start technology, research and innovation in Spain. Simple proof is that Spanish scientists and researchers in other countries (most notably, in the U.S. of A.) go far, but their activity does not foster in Spain. Spain does not lack brains nor capacity; it lacks the proper cultural and policy framework to thrive. Culture is hard to change. Policy is not. We just need daring politicians. Let’s see what comes out of the next general election!
10 February 2008, 8:12 am