The Castilian Left ( es, Izquierda Castellana, IzCa) is a
leftist
Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in so ...
nationalist
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...
political movement active in the Spanish autonomous communities of
Castile-La Mancha,
Castile and Leon and
Community of Madrid
The Community of Madrid (; es, Comunidad de Madrid ) is one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain. It is located in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, and of the Central Plateau (''Meseta Central''). Its capital and largest munic ...
. It strives to advocate for the national recognition of
Castile, and in some cases, its independence. Other current political parties include Tierra Comunera, Castilian Party, and Ahora Castilla.
History
Castilian Left and the other parties are categorized as part of a major political movement known as
Castilian nationalism
Castilian nationalism or "Castilianism" ( es, castellanismo, links=no) is a fringe political movement that advocates for the national recognition of Castile, and in some cases, its independence from Spain.
History
The 19th century saw the d ...
. It defends the traditions and values from the rebels of the
Castilian War of the Communities
Castilian or Castillian may refer to:
* Castile, a historic region of Spain
** Castilian people, an ethnic group from Castile
** Castilian languages, a branch of the West Iberian languages consisting of all linguistic varieties descended from Ol ...
, so they call themselves "comuneros". As a group of Castilian nationalists, they also seek to unify the other Spanish Autonomous Communities of Cantabria, Castile y Leon, Castile-La Mancha, La Rioja, and Madrid. Izquierda Castellana constituted a definitive movement in
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
by the year 2002, as a section of
Izquierda Comunera, which also included the organizations
Unidad Popular Castellana, YESCA (formerly known as
Juventudes Castellanas Revolucionarias),
Mujeres Castellanas and the
Círculo Castellano de Toledo. The
Communist Party of the Castilian People (a section of the
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain ( es, Partido Comunista de los Pueblos de España) is a Marxist–Leninist communist party in Spain. PCPE was founded out of the unification of several Marxist-Leninist factions. The youth organization is ...
in the autonomous region of
Castilla y León
Castile, Castille or Castilla may refer to:
Places Spain
*Castile (historical region), a vaguely defined historical region of Spain covering most of Castile and León, all of the Community of Madrid and most of Castilla–La Mancha
*Kingdom of ...
) joined on as part of Izquierda Castellana, but later left the organization. Izquierda Castellana also supports various nationalist movements around the world, such as those in the
Basque Country,
Palestine or
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
, emphasizing a
democratic perspective and the
sovereignty
Sovereignty is the defining authority within individual consciousness, social construct, or territory. Sovereignty entails hierarchy within the state, as well as external autonomy for states. In any state, sovereignty is assigned to the perso ...
of the
working class
The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...
.
Ideology
The goal of Izquierda Castellana is the attainment of what they call a united Castile, overcoming the current division of the Castilian "nation" between five autonomous regions (
Cantabria
Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, in its current Statute of Autonomy. It is bordered on the east ...
,
Castile and León
Castile and León ( es, Castilla y León ; ast-leo, Castiella y Llión ; gl, Castela e León ) is an autonomous community in northwestern Spain.
It was created in 1983, eight years after the end of the Francoist regime, by the merging of th ...
,
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
,
La Rioja
La Rioja () is an autonomous community and province in Spain, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, an ...
and
Castile-La Mancha) and a ''comarca'' (
Requena-Utiel
La Plana de Utiel-Requena is a ''comarca'' currently in the province of Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain. Historically, the ''comarca'' was part of Castile and formed part of the province of Cuenca in the 1833 provincial division of Javier d ...
in the
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid wi ...
). It emphasizes
socialism
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes th ...
,
sovereignty
Sovereignty is the defining authority within individual consciousness, social construct, or territory. Sovereignty entails hierarchy within the state, as well as external autonomy for states. In any state, sovereignty is assigned to the perso ...
and
republicanism
Republicanism is a political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic. Historically, it emphasises the idea of self-rule and ranges from the rule of a representative minority or oligarchy to popular sovereignty. It ...
, principles it reaffirms each year on April 23, in a special ceremony in the municipality of
Villalar de los Comuneros. This day is celebrated by
Castilian nationalist organizations such as Izquierda Castellana and
Tierra Comunera as the National Day of Castile, but officially it is the festivity of the autonomous region of Castile and León.
Tierra Comunera
A Castilian nationalist political party that seeks the defense of the rights and freedoms of the Castilian people, the constant exercise of their decision-making capacity, the progressive transformation of their society in order to achieve freedom and the preservation of their historical heritage, as the most valuable legacy to pass on to future generations. It currently does not assume a social, economic, and cultural role that defines Castile. It holds great value towards many aspects of the human nature, which includes cultural and environmental ideals, its production of raw materials of high quality, and most importantly, the existence of a political power at the service of its citizens, should allow the Castilian people build a society more prosperous and developed, that satisfaction appropriate to the needs of the people. As an organization that is fully committed to unify the Castilians amongst themselves and the rest of Spain, Tierra Comunera is responsible for multiple organized experiences that are developed by the people giving them continuity and gathering the best thing of all of them to plan a way that incorporates the illusion of all the persons and sectors that believe for a possible and united Castile.
Yesca
A Castilian youth organization that specialized in combat action that creates struggles by the Revolutionary Youth of their land: Castilla. Yesca arose from the militant representation that during the decade of the 90s and the early years of the new millennium that was carried out by the Revolutionary Youth Castilian. It was not simply a change of name but the natural evolution of the project after years of struggles and experiences of another step in the construction of a real Spanish organization qualified to give answers to the problems that they suffer as young. Yesca is committed to bring together people that want to real changes in society, fighting from the framework of the construction of Castile between everyone. It is something that traditionally ignite the spark; the symbolic name presents to us as what we aspire to be and a catalytic tool of ideas and actions that will lead us to kindle the flame of the social revolution, gender and national they need.
Villalar de los Comuneros
For the last three decades, tens of thousands of Castilian attend "Villarlar of the Comuneros" on April 23 to celebrate the day of Castile. The
Battle of Villalar
The Battle of Villalar was a battle in the Revolt of the Comuneros fought on 23 April 1521 near the town of Villalar in Valladolid province, Spain. The royalist supporters of King Charles I won a crushing victory over the comuneros rebels. ...
was a battle in the Revolt of the Comuneros fought near the town of
Villalar in Valladolid province, Spain. The royalist supporters of King Charles I won a crushing victory over the comuneros rebels. Three of the most important rebel leaders were captured, Juan de Padilla, Juan Bravo, and Francisco Maldonado. They were executed the next day, effectively ending armed resistance to Charles I. The Battle of Villalar represents an important historical event in Castile because it marked the end of autocratic Spanish monarchy.
References
External links
Izquierda CastellanaIzquierda Comunera
{{Authority control
Political parties in Castile and León
Political parties in Castilla–La Mancha
Political parties in the Community of Madrid
Socialist parties in Spain
Left-wing nationalist parties