El desencís de la Dècada Moderada. Els diputats catalans en la política espanyola (1843-1854)

Based on a exhaustive research and an innovative methodology, Oriol Luján provides new elements of interpretation to the always complex relations between the Catalan politicians and the Spanish leaders in a key moment of the contemporary history, as it is the Moderate Decade, determinant to the consolidation to the parliamentary institutions and of a centralist political system. The work belongs to the set of historiographic contributions which lately have given emphasis to the will of territorial elites to influence in the political decision-making during liberalism in the 19^th century. This book reveals the Catalan coordination strategies, through the Catalan provincial council, to defend the common interests and ask for a better role in the political decisions. This unite didn’t appear as an alternative to centralism, but rather as a consequence to the feeling of neglect that generated discomfort by the fact of not being able to direct government policies. In any case, it was clear the intention of the Catalan representatives to create a territorial organisation of the sovereignty, alternative to the centralism that was compatible with the general interests of the Spanish nation. After all, the Catalan deputies wanted a Spain able to unite and respect the diversity inside the unity.