Description
The confrontation between the Franco regime and Basque nationalists produced a series of political assassinations, trials, and reprisals. In this work internationally noted historian Stanley G. Payne presents a vivid account of a century of ferment to establish an independent Basque country. In his probing into the causes and consequences of Basque nationalism, he has provided a fascinating and well-written account of a viable opposition movement capable of challenging the unity of the Spanish state. At the same time, Payne explores the many nuances, contradictory trends, and diverse opinions within the ranks of the Basque nationalists themselves. What emerges is the portrait of a movement that is fragmented into many groups of differing political ideologies, goals, and tactics.

Reviews
"Stanley Payne's excellent volume Basque Nationalism is indispensable reading." —Jack E. Reece, Red River Valley Historical Journal of World History, 1982

"For anyone intrigued by the history and 'mystery' of the Basques, the nine-book series published by the University of Nevada as part of its Basque Studies Program offers an unbeatable selection. Authoritative but readable, handsomely produced and reasonably priced, it surveys the complex development of the four Spanish and three French provinces, their ramifications in the New World, and the ambition, now violently if forlornly pursued by ETA, to weld them into an independent federal nation." —David Mitchell, Lookout: The Magazine for Living in Spain, February 1986