When diving osprey first disrupt the calm of Loch Ness each morning, a gentle breeze carrying the spirit of Saint Andrew’s Cross sweeps through the Scottish Highlands. Billowing south from Inverness, it spreads as it reaches the Lowlands and continues down through the whiskey-soaked pubs of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Moaning bagpipes resonate across the green open and envelop Renfrewshire, where, 700 years ago, Sir William Wallace was born. The soft gust crosses the English border, then picks up and flurries down to London’s Smithfield area, where Wallace was hanged, drawn and quartered for treason against the English crown.
Contrasting the violence Wallace was forced to endure in his battle for self-rule, Scots now have the opportunity to peacefully achieve the same goal. On Sept. 18, the Scottish independence referendum will be put to vote, which asks whether or not the country should be independent from the U.K.
If one were to have posed the question to Wallace, he likely would have chased them off with bolts of lightning from his arse. His answer would have been the same as Mel Gibson’s iconic, Oscar-begging cry: “Freeedoooom!”
However, a recent poll suggests a majority of Scots now share Wallace’s belief for the first time since the referendum campaign began. But a lot has changed in the seven centuries since the mythological freedom fighter’s death.
As a member of the primarily Anglocentric U.K., Scotland is recognized as its own country. Nonetheless, it continues to live – whether England acknowledges it or not – in the shadow of its southern neighbor.
Just because independence looks good on the menu, though, doesn’t mean it will taste as sweet as it sounds.
After the poll’s results were released, Britain’s government scrambled to persuade Scots to remain a member of the sovereign state. In a last-ditch effort to appease Scotland's nationalistic fervor, U.K. Chancellor George Osborne and company promised their northern ally further devolution of power in relation to taxes, spending and welfare. Osborne affirmed more details would be released soon to allow thorough consideration before the vote. It’s debatable whether that truly leaves enough time.
Scotland is intrinsically tied to the laws, economy and makeup of Britain, and England knows it. Should voters decide to shift power from the U.K. to their home country, they should also be ready to confront a brief state of tabula rasa.
Scottish independence would essentially bring about a new country and Scotland’s government would face an array of issues pertaining to health care, defense, economy, agriculture, energy, etc.
Another issue for Scots to consider is that two of the country’s largest financial institutions – The Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group – have hinted at moves from Edinburgh if the referendum passes. Other companies have discussed similar relocations. The effect of such moves on Scotland’s economy could be tremendous, not to mention the potential strain it could place on the European economy as a whole.
Perhaps most troubling, though, is that thousands of voters have registered just in the past two weeks and tens of thousands more in the past few months. With so many voters recently turned on to the politics game, one has to wonder how familiar some actually are with Scotland’s present and potential political landscapes. It may not be a coincidence that registered Scots favor the referendum for the first time amid this strong surge in new voters.
Although the winds from the Highlands might awaken the fighting spirit of Wallace in some, Scots should still consider Britain's offer to devolve more power Scotland's way. Their frustrations about a dissolving national identity are understandable, but the referendum has clearly been a wake-up call to England.
If the majority’s yearning for independence doesn’t fade with an increase in national recognition, the referendum’s goals can always be reconsidered. Wallace didn’t have that option in his fight for freedom. Scottish voters do and shouldn’t rush into such a colossal decision.
Reach the columnist at Tom.Blanton@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @tomblanton
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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