307 years later and Scotland is still a member of the United Kingdom in the company of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland as decided by the Thursday’s referendum vote. On a day that is sure to cause heartbreak for many Scots who dreamed of witnessing their independence, the results came to 55% in favor of staying as a Union.
Scotland formally joined the union in 1707 following serious conflicts between British and Scottish parliaments in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution (1688-1689). Being a part of the union ensured economic benefits for Scotland in exchange for extra laborers and resources. However, many Scots soon disliked being subjects to British lawmakers and maintained cultural independence, leading many to insist on political separation as well. In modern times, Scotland has grown increasingly resentful of Parliament’s habit of ignoring their woes and the issue of independence was thus thrust into play once again.
The Situation:
Scottish residents age sixteen and over who registered were eligible to vote, so long as they are British, Eu, or Commonwealth citizens that are currently living in Scotland. The Scottish parliament, dominated by the Scottish National Party and led by Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, worked since the 2011 elections to arrange the mandate to vote. On the opposing side, British Prime Minister David Cameron strongly urged voters to remain members of the United Kingdom along with the vast majority of Brits.
Pros for Independence:
- Up to 90% of the oil in the North Sea region is found in Scotland. Salmond proposed the unshared profits that would come from sole ownership of the resources would be put towards infrastructure reforms including social welfare programs and education.
- If independence is granted there will be a massive party with free booze guaranteed.
- Independent government can focus on issues in Scotland that the British Parliament did not listen to.
Economic Considerations:
- Although Salmond advocates for continuing using the British pound as currency, most of the U.K.’s political parties will not oblige to a shared currency if independence is granted. Further, the Bank of England will not be in a position to bail Scottish banks out if they run into economic turmoil.
- If or when the oil reserves run out of their major source of income, the Scottish economy could likely plummet so long as they “put all their eggs in one basket”
- Several prominent union businesses expressed the interest to withdraw from Scotland, which would mean significant job losses
Though in the months leading up to the referendum the union-supporters lead by a comfortable margin in the polls, in the past few weeks public opinion seemed to have shifted and Better Together came in danger of falling apart. Salmond, who resigned on Friday after the painful loss, blames the over 55 age voters for, “actually [impeding] progress for the next generation,” as those voters tended to decide against independence.
As for the future of the United Kingdom and Scottish devolution, Cameron promises, “a new and fair settlement that [applies] to all parts of the UK”.
Emily Abrishamkar is a staff writer for Pulse Magazine.