Should Scotland be an independent country?

Canada and Australia, "small countries"?

^ landmass or population

There was a reasonably good article on Forbes a couple of days ago regarding currency unions. It's worth a read if you've got five minutes:

As Scotland mulls independence...

I think the Coppola Comment blog is a significantly more detailed article on that.

Interesting to see the various lines being taken though.

Here's another thing that my Scottish mates are reposting all over Facebook.

https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1/1925098_698093600212514_1993773377_n.jpg

There are many crucial differences between Scotland and the assortment of countries listed here. Can you spot them all?

They all speak comprehensible English?

(obvs not teh aussys)

Norway is probably the country which could be considered closest in terms of size.

I wonder how being unable to purchase booze above a certain ABV from anything other than a state run shop, for about 15 minutes every day, would go down with the Scottish people?

That and paying £12 for a pint in Wetherspoons.

'mon the tax hikes

the currency and EU issues haven't put a single dent in the enthusiasm of the "VOTE YES" crowd

And so it shouldn't. Sure there are issues, some of them major hurdles, but in the end it's about one thing, do the Scots want their own country. Once that's decided everything else will fall into place (doesn't mean it will be easy).

There have been many new countries created in the last 20 years. How many of them have ever said "oh maybe that was a bad idea because having a new currency was tricky..."

I take your point, but then how many of these newly minted countries had a financial services sector the same size as Scotlands - which for reference would be 1,254% of Scottish GDP, versus that of the whole UK which is 494% of GDP?

This is relevant because it looks highly likely that the Scottish banks will not have access to the BoE, so if they need to be bailed out again then it'll be up to the Scottish Government- who it could be suggested would be unable to find that money.

Of course, they could borrow it from Russia on the same terms as the Ukrainians have, maybe.

But as the Coppola article suggests, these banks would be insane if they stayed- they would likely flee and re-incorporate in the UK, moving the Scottish economy from one driven by the financial services sector to an economy suddenly largely without one.

Which of course would drastically reduce the number of total cunts who live in Scotland- so could be viewed as a win.

This rates highly among the most divisive articles written on the subject so far: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/19/scottish-independence-76-things-apologise?commentpage=1

I found it odd at first that the Guardian seemed to be showing such bias by publishing so many negative articles on the subject. This seems like a coming out, in some sort of odd tabloid attempt at mixing historical facts and humour for the sake of entertainment.

Which of course would drastically reduce the number of total cunts who live in Scotland- so could be viewed as a win.

That, if I may be so bold, is a highly optimistic statement.

Scotland is a naturally socialist country, and this does make it a much nicer place to live. The Scottish parliament has resisted many of the moves towards privatisation and cuts to benefits made by new lab and the tories. Scottish doctors have been able to resist the dismantling of many of their services. University is still free. Care for the elderly is state funded.

There is a lot in the argument for having government close to the people. But other things have made me realise that this is as much about Salmond as it is about Scotland. After he got the Scottish parliament established and had been first minister for a couple of years he got bored, and went back to Westminster? He loved, and was brilliant at, the political scrapping in London, and in Edinburgh there is no opposition to him of any sort,.There are no debates in the scottish parliament, or within his party, he does things, his party follows, Labour look ineffectual (all the best Scottish labour polticians are in Westminster) and there are no Tories.

The Trump golf course is one example of Salmond imposing his personal will to support a n illegal policy that he thought would look good for him, and declare Scotland 'open for business' - but his ego was flattered by a rich American paying him attention, and the result is a physical blight to the country and far lower than projected economic benefit.

The currency, EU membership, national debt etc. aren't necessarily negative things, but they are big uncertainties, no-one can know what will happen, and how they are handled will decide whether an independent Scotland succeeds or fails.

I'm a Jacobite at heart so my emotions say Yes, and the idea of a small, nice country listening to its people and with no global military presence is very appealing. But I worry that a) it's just too late in terms of national psyche, and b) the world (and England) wouldn't allow Scotland to be a great small country if it became independent.

The English forced Scotland to sign the Act of Union in 1707 by emposing a trade embargo, they could easily employ similar tactics again. Already e.g. the Spanish president of the European Commission is belittling the very idea, because of fears of Basque separatism. If England and the EU wanted they could cause an independent Scotland to fail economically. If I was still living there I don't know how I would vote, but it wouldn't be 'no' because that would be an implicit vote for Cameron. I'm watching with great interest.

hard to argue with

Ivan McKee Westminster position on oil is ridiculous - YouTube

That's all very well, but how are the Scots going to tie their shoelaces without the rest of the UK helping them?

I rest my case.

Nail on head Mr Schick

That's all very well, but how are the Scots going to tie their shoelaces without the rest of the UK helping them?

I rest my case.

They'll probably just invent something better. That's pretty much what they do.

I think I will finally come down in favour of separation, but if they could wait until I'm ready to move up there and buy a house that'd be great, thanks.

Best to wait - your English pounds will make you a king (an English King in Scotland... Hmm) if the reports are anything to go by.

Which they're not.

How do I go about creating the Peoples Democratic Republic of Forest Hill, with me as "father of his country" AKA Herr Generalissimo, President for life?

I'd start by getting political representation in the already existing infrastructure.

That sounds like hard work, can you do it for me?

How do I go about creating the Peoples Democratic Republic of Forest Hill, with me as "father of his country" AKA Herr Generalissimo, President for life?

Persuade people that there's enough oil reserves in the cars around that it'll buoy up the economy for decades to come.

I'd be happy to go Fracking in the neighbours garden?

That sounds like hard work, can you do it for me?

I'd probably need some sort of legal status in Forest Hill. Can I borrow your house while I set the plans in motion?