The Scottish independence referendum and the myth of successful small states

The United States media have given rather little attention to the question of the Scottish referendum despite important economic, political and military links between the US and the UK/Scotland. For some in the US a ‘no’ vote would be greeted with relief given these ties: for others, a ‘yes’ vote would be acclaimed as an underdog escaping England's imperium, a narrative clearly echoing America's own founding story. This article explores commentary in the US press and media as well as reporting evidence from on-going interviews with the Scottish diaspora in the US. It concludes that there is as complex a picture of the 2014 referendum in the United States as there is in Scotland.

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The Role of Threat and Economic Uncertainty in Support for Scottish Independence

Scottish Affairs ◽

10.3366/scot.2014.0007 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 103-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Daniel Kopasker

Keyword(s):

Economic Consequences ◽

Perceived Threat ◽

Constitutional Change ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

Economic Expectations ◽

Scottish Independence ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact ◽

Levels Of Support

Existing research has consistently shown that perceptions of the potential economic consequences of Scottish independence are vital to levels of support for constitutional change. This paper attempts to investigate the mechanism by which expectations of the economic consequences of independence are formed. A hypothesised causal micro-level mechanism is tested that relates constitutional preferences to the existing skill investments of the individual. Evidence is presented that larger skill investments are associated with a greater likelihood of perceiving economic threats from independence. Additionally, greater perceived threat results in lower support for independence. The impact of uncertainty on both positive and negative economic expectations is also examined. While uncertainty has little effect on negative expectations, it significantly reduces the likelihood of those with positive expectations supporting independence. Overall, it appears that a general economy-wide threat is most significant, and it is conjectured that this stems a lack of information on macroeconomic governance credentials.

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Scottish Independence

Scottish Affairs ◽

10.3366/scot.2009.0042 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 68 (First Serie (1) ◽

pp. 100-118

Author(s):

Michael Keating

Keyword(s):

Scottish Independence

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Explaining Brexit North and South of the Border

Scottish Affairs ◽

10.3366/scot.2017.0207 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 391-410 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

David McCrone

Keyword(s):

Turning Point ◽

Social Values ◽

Demographic Characteristics ◽

Social Surveys ◽

Clear Cut ◽

Major Turning Point ◽

Scottish Independence ◽

North And South ◽

Scottish Politics ◽

Game Changer

The Brexit referendum in 2016 was a major turning-point in British and Scottish politics, reflected in a majority for Leave in England, but for Remain in Scotland. This article uses the British and Scottish Social Surveys for 2016 to explain Scottish-English differences, and finds that there were broad similarities in terms of social and demographic characteristics, and in terms of social values (‘authoritarians’ voting for Leave). Being ‘English’, however, was much more significant than being ‘Scottish’ in accounting for Brexit vote. The association between Brexit vote and constitutional preferences, notably voting intention in a future Scottish Independence Referendum, is far less clear-cut. Brexit promises to be a political game-changer, but in ways which are complex and unpredictable.

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The Annals of the Parish: Referendum Year 2014

Scottish Affairs ◽

10.3366/scot.2015.0051 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

Eberhard Bort

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Power Relations ◽

Status Quo ◽

Democratic Participation ◽

Top Down ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Scottish Parliament ◽

National Conversation ◽

Scottish Independence

The decisive No vote in the Scottish independence referendum on 18 September 2014 was not a vote for the constitutional status quo, although it confirmed that Scotland would remain part of the United Kingdom. The referendum outcome is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the power relations between London and Edinburgh and, perhaps more than expected, for the constitutional future of the entire UK. A tight timetable for the delivery of extra powers for the Scottish Parliament is in place, and the ‘elephant in the room’, the constitutional status and governance of England, is now firmly on the agenda. There is also pressure for decentralisation in Scotland itself. And the huge ‘democratic awakening’ which characterised this ‘national conversation’ about Scotland's future, with massive democratic participation and a record turnout, demands that these changes will have to be brought about in a participative way – and not ‘top-down’, as a Westminster or Holyrood ‘stitch-up’.

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