Somebody once pointed out that the United Kingdom is not a nation, in the way that France, Germany and Italy are unified nations, but a union of three nations (England, Wales and Scotland) and a colony (formerly Ireland, now Northern Ireland).
Today the people of Scotland will vote on a referendum on becoming an independent nation. If they vote “yes,” Scotland will become an independent nation.
Pro-independence Scots object to the right-wing policies of the UK government. It is even more interlocked with corrupt City of London financiers than Washington is with Wall Street, and deindustrialization and financialization have gone even further than in the USA.
Scots tend to be pro-labor and supporters of the National Health Service and the welfare state. They oppose London’s policies of austerity and privatization, and they would like to get control of North Sea oil. But as a smaller nation, Scots would be a weaker entity in a world of superpower nations and giant corporations. The rump United Kingdom would also be weaker.
British political leaders have promised Scotland greater autonomy – maximum devolution of authority, or “devo-max” – if they stay in the United Kingdom. If that happened Wales and Northern Ireland would want greater autonomy, too. England itself might demand home rule.
LINKS
Schroedinger’s Kingdom: the Scottish Political Singularity Explained by Charles Stross., my second-favorite science fiction writer. He’s a Scot. This gives historical background and Stross’s reason for voting “yes”.
An argument against Scottish independence by Ken MacLeod, my favorite science fiction writer. He’s a Scot, too.
I hope Scotland leaves and I hope England follows them by Oliver Huitson for Open Democracy.
The Scottish Question by David Lindsay for The American Conservative.
Can Great Britain Survive a Scottish ‘No’ Vote? by John Cassidy for The New Yorker. Scotland might present more problems for the UK inside the kingdom than outside.
Scotland Should Declare Its Independence from Alex Salmond by Greg Palast for Reader Supported News. If an independent Scotland uses the British pound for its currency and stays within the European Union, it will not be truly independent.
Tags: independent nation, independent Scotland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Scottish independence, United Kingdom
Phil Ebersole's Blog 
September 18, 2014 at 3:27 am |
Hmmm, I wonder what precisely “greater autonomy” involves? It all boils down to money. I doubt England has Scottish interests at heart when salivating over North Sea oil.I’m on the fence – Scotland and England have been at it for centuries – I’m leaning towards a “Yes” outcome. Scotland comes from vastly contrasting perspectives. I say – go for it!
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