Today ETA (the Basque independence movement’s isolated, weak, and politically irrelevant terrorist wing) has declared a cease-fire and Catalonia struck a deal with Spain for greater official autonomy. In their struggles for linguistic and political independence against fascist (Franco-era) and post-fascist Spain, the Basque Country nurtured its terrorist organization while Catalonia worked slowly and steadily for political solutions.

Today, far more Catalans speak Catalan than Basques speak Basque and Catalonia has more political independence and political clout both in Spain and the EU.

Of course there were political machinations and deals and every terrorist group is its own animal, but terrorists might want to examine the Basque-Catalan nationalist movements as an object lesson in what you can—and can’t—achieve by assassinating perceived enemies and blowing up busses.