Quote Originally Posted by Husar View Post
What if the greater London area left? Or Bavaria? What if Rotterdam left the Netherlands?
London or Rotterdam can't boast of any history separate from the whole country, rather the country was formed around them. Besides, there is no separate Rotterdamese or Londonese ethnicity/nation or language.

Bavaria is a different story, but they still can't claim to have a different language or culture. Catalonia is lucky (or unlucky, depending on your point of view) to have all of those, so it is not about economy (or not only about economy).