Berkley Center

“I think about the significance of what it represents and it weighs heavy in my hands.” I was referring to my American passport and all the Spaniards in the class cracked up, including the professor who thought I was joking. We had been talking about the widespread tax avoidance among Spaniards, and while I saw it as a cultural quirk consistent with other Mediterranean cultures such as Greece, my professor suggested instead that it was a sign in the distrust of the government.

People in Spain, especially among the older generation, do not have the same sense of connection to the government as is in the United States. In America, as cynical as we are, most Americans believe that the government is for the people, by the people, and on principle, represents the general will. Among the old in Barcelona who remember decades of Franco’s rule, the government is simply a source of oppression.

Spain, it should be reminded, has a very short democratic tradition. Franco only passed away in 1977, and authoritarian rule was severely weakened by a terrorist attack against Franco’s chosen successor. There is not a clear connection between paying taxes and the services the government provides. When I was looking for a room to rent in Barcelona I was told by a large real estate firm that I could either pay through a bank transfer and have to pay taxes, or simply pay thousands of euros via cash and avoid IVA (the value-added tax).

Even among the students my age who have grown up in a democratic Spain, there is still a lack of understanding of American patriotism. They only spoke and thought of the Spanish flag every four years during the World Cup. Among the other international students, Germans especially, the widespread waving of the flag is only prevalent during soccer games.

The other large cultural difference I have noticed is the weak ties to the Church in Barcelona. Although Spain is overwhelming Catholic, there are relatively few churches in Barcelona. Even though the university I attend was founded by Jesuits, I have yet to meet a student who regularly attends church.

Instead, similar to the government, the Church is a source of mistrust and a symbol of previous oppression. During Franco’s rule, the church was at the center of power in the government. It controlled the entire education system, it was a bastion of support for Franco’s policies, and Barcelonans allege that many priests worked for the regime in revenge for the widespread killing of priests by the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War.

Unlike the concept of government, which the young—despite the economic crisis—generally have faith in, the church seems like something that is lost to an entire generation. When I have spoken with Spanish students they associate the Church with Madrid, and say that if you want to experience religious faith, then the conservative areas of Madrid are the place to go.