This paper analyzes claims of equality and difference in the context of two multinational states – Spain and the United Kingdom – with specific reference to the arguments for self-determination made in the regions of Catalonia and Scotland. It starts from the acknowledgment that equality is a fundamental principle of modern democracies, but it is not an unambiguous term. In this context, equality of membership in the sense of non-discrimination might clash against calls for ‘special treatment’ based on collective claims of difference, while ‘special rights’ granted to some groups might trigger demands for equal treatment (in the sense of non-discrimination) in other parts of the state. It also postulates that democracy by itself cannot help us determine the boundaries of the sovereign political community, nor the appropriate level of autonomy to be granted to minority groups.
