Economic Dependencies and Nationalist Divergences: Public vs. Private Sector Employment and Beyond in Corsican Separatist Nationalism

Separatist nationalism often persists in divided minority regions where internal factions struggle to agree on governance models, perpetuating conflict and political tension. This article investigates the root causes of these divisions in Corsica, focusing on the economic dependencies that underpin conflicting approaches to autonomy and independence. Drawing on an original survey, complemented by open ended questions, this study reveals that while factors such as income and cultural perceptions show no statistically significant impact on political preferences, varying forms of economic dependency—including public versus private sector employment, unemployment, studentship, and retirement—play a pivotal role. Notably, individuals in the private sector are 45 percent more likely to support independence and 66 percent more likely to support autonomy, contrasting sharply with public sector employees, retirees, and others reliant on state-funded welfare systems, who express greater apprehension toward political decentralisation. This article highlights the nuanced ways in which economic dependency—whether through employment, social benefits, or reliance on state infrastructure—intersects with cultural identity to shape attitudes toward separatist nationalism. By focusing on the dependency models and moving beyond ethno-cultural explanations and income or class, this analysis sheds light on the complex interplay between cultural aspirations, economic structures, and political behaviour in underdeveloped regions, offering fresh insights into the dynamics of nationalist movements in economically fragile contexts.