Does the Basque Country have a separate "political system"? This book seeks to answer this complicated question. The Basque Country forms a differentiated cultural community that shares customs, folklore, a way of life, a languageÑBasqueÑthat is among the oldest in Europe, and yet is divided between two international frontiersÐFrance and SpainÐand has major internal subdivisions, most notably between the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (the provinces of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa) and the Foral Community of Navarre. In France, the Basque provinces of Lapurdi, Lower Navarre and Zuberoa (Iparralde) have little or no administrative separation from the centralist regime, while HegoaldeÑthe Basque provinces on the southern side of the international frontierÑhas varying degrees of autonomous powers within the fitfully decentralizing Spanish state, but is split into two distinct subdivisions with different powers, relations to the central state, and historical development. An added layer of complexity is added by the supranational powers of the European Union and the Basque Country's place in it, as well as the historically important relations of the Basque Country to the members of its worldwide diaspora. And, finally, even within the various subdivisions there are important differences of opinion regarding fundamental questions such as the desire for independence or autonomy, the political violence that has marred the region, relations to national or central states, and a variety of other issues. Any attempt to impose order on this chaos is difficult, but the authors in this book try to respond to this question with a wealth of historical and political detail and insight.