Basques

Basques A people living mostly in the Basque territory (‘Euskadi’) which is situated along the western Pyrenees and the eastern end of the Bay of Biscay. Since 1514, its (smaller) northern part has been part of France, while its southern part covers today's Spanish provinces of Álava, Guipúzcoa, Navarra, and Viscaya. Cut off by the mountains from outside culture and population migrations before the tenth century, Basques kept their culture and their language, which is not related to any other language in the world. The distinctive Basque culture was recognized by the rulers of Castile until the nineteenth century, when the Basques' privileges were removed by the Spanish court. However, the country's wealth of iron ore meant that, except for Catalonia, it was the only Spanish region where industrialization started before the twentieth century. Consequently, it developed into one of Spain's richest regions, which was conducive to the resurgence of Basque nationalism.

In the Spanish Civil War, it remained loyal to the republican Popular Front government, for which it suffered extensively under Franco, who subsequently discriminated against the Basque population and forbade the use of their language. In response, a guerrilla organization, ETA (Euzkadi ta Azkatasuna, ‘Basque Territory and Freedom’) was formed in 1959 to gain independence by military means. After Franco's death the Basques received extensive autonomy, and the first Basque Autonomous Parliament and President were elected in 1980. From that date, the Basque government was formed by the moderate Basque Nationalist Party (PNV, Partido Nacionalista Vasco/ Euzko Alberdi Jeltzalea), which tried to extend the province's already extensive autonomy. The Basques received powers over taxation, the police, energy, education, and culture. Nevertheless, ETA had become too committed to the principle of full independence, and thus continued its terrorist campaign regardless of the political concessions granted by the Spanish government. Since 1970, ETA has carried out over 800 assassinations. In 1998, it declared an unlimited ceasefire to promote a political solution to the conflict. A year later, however, in late 1999, the organization resumed its campaign of violence. The brutality of ETA led to a decline in popular support for its political arm, as the Herri Batasuna (‘United People’) gained but seven out of 75 seats in the 2001 regional elections.