,9DEP5D5T & ,FREE8 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,AN>*I/ ,F$]ATION 

,TEXT 3 

,ONE WAY OR ANO!R1 ! POLITICAL L&SCAPE 9 ,SCOTL& & ,BRITA9 AS A :OLE IS GO+ TO *ANGE AFT] #bad & IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY :AT C\RSE ?IS WILL TAKE4 ,AL?\< POLLS CONSI/5TLY %[ ! ,S,N,P-L$ ,SCOTTI% ,GOV]NM5T HAS A LONG WAY TO GA9 MAJORITY SUPPORT = 9DEP5D5CE1 IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE ?AT !Y C\LD BR+ AB\T A SW+ 9 OP9ION4 ,BUT EV5 W]E !Y TO FAIL 9 A*IEV+ FULL 9DEP5D5CE IT SEEMS 9EVITABLE ?AT ,SCOTTI% 9/ITUTIONS WILL TAKE ON MORE P[]S & ?AT ! PROCESS ITSELF WILL HAVE A LA/+ IMPACT ON ,SCOTTI% SOCIETY4 ,AS COMMITT$ 9T]NATIONALI/S1 AN>*I/S OPPOSE NATIONALISM 9 ANY =M4 ,RA!R ?AN SIMPLY REPEAT LONG-/&+ PR9CIPLES1 H[EV]1 WE NE$ TO >TICULATE SOME K9D ( AN ANALYSIS & ASK \RSELVES H[ POT5TIAL /ATE REORGANIZATION WILL AFFECT US & ! WID] CLASS /RUGGLE & :AT EXACTLY WE %\LD BE DO+ & >GU+ AS ! 9DEP5D5CE DEBATE 9CREASES 9 9T5SITY4 ,?IS REQUIRES COLLABORATION & DISCUSSION AMONG AN>*I/S 9 ,SCOTL& BUT ALSO ) COMRADES ELSE:]E & SO H]E ,I ONLY (F] A FEW ( MY [N OP9IONS ON ! QUE/ION4 

,WE DON'T D5Y ?AT ,SCOTL& IS A NATION BUT ?AT NATIONS >E NOT SOME?+ COMMUNI/S CAN SUPPORT4 ,!Y >E ALWAYS 9 SOME WAY DEF9$ BY & TI$ TO ! /ATE & >E A MEANS TO BR+ AB\T COHESION & ID5TITY ACROSS CLASSES4 ,AL?\< (T5 T]M$ ! '/ATELESS NATION'1 ! DIFF]5T CULTURES1 REGIONS & CLASSES ( ,SCOTL& W]E GIV5 AN IMPOS$ UNITY BY ! PRE-#a#g#g /ATE :I* WAS !REAFT] MA9TA9$ FROM ABOVE ?R\< ! CONT9UANCE ( A NUMB] ( 9/ITUTIONS & A SEMI-AUTONOM\S B\RGEOISIE &1 CONTRADICTORILY1 FROM BEL[ BY RESI/ANCE TO ,BRITI% C5TRALIZ$ P[] & CULTURAL UNI=MITY4 ,:5 ! B5EFITS ( EMPIRE HAD DECL9$ AFT] ! ,SECOND ,WORLD ,W> & OIL WEAL? WAS DISCOV]$ (F ! NOR? EA/ COA/1 !RE WAS A /RONG] CAPITALI/ CASE = 9CREAS$ AUTONOMY BUT ALSO GR[+ POPUL> DISILLUSIONM5T ) C5TRALIZ$ ,BRITI% /ATE PROVISION - UND]L9$ BY ,?AT*]ISM'S ATTACKS ON ! SOCIAL WAGE & TRADITIONAL HEAVY 9DU/RIES4 ,TOGE!R !Y COALESC$ 9TO A RESURG5CE ( NATIONAL FEEL+ :I* CULM9AT$ 9 DEVOLUTION AT ! 5D ( ! #b?-C5TURY4 ,?IS HAS ONLY 9CREAS$ ! MOM5TUM ( ,SCOTTI% NATIONAL FEEL+ & NATIONALISM3 MORE /ATE P[]1 9 ?IS CASE1 5C\RAG$ & REQUIR$ ! EMPHASIS ( ! NATIONAL 5TITY & VICE V]SA4 

,! ,S,N,P HAS BE5 FOLL[+ A BALANC+ ACT4 ,FIR/LY1 IT APPEALS TO ! WORK+ CLASS ?R\< SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC POLICIES WELL TO ! LEFT ( ANY ,WE/M9/] P>TY4 ,9 AN 9DEP5D5T ,SCOTL&1 !Y CLAIM ?AT ! ,BRITI% NUCLE> >S5AL W\LD BE REMOV$ FROM ! C\NTRY1 ,SCOTTI% TROOPS W\LD NO LONG] BE S5T TO FI<T 9 PLACES LIKE ,AF<ANI/AN1 ! GOV]NM5T W\LD PRIORITIZE R5EWABLE 5]GY & ! WELF>E /ATE W\LD BE DEF5D$4 ,AT ! SAME TIME1 !Y P&] TO ANY BUS9ESSP]SON WILL+ TO BACK !M1 AIM TO CUT CORPORATION TAX & MAKE ,SCOTL& MORE COMPETITIVE 7I4E4 9T5SIFY ! EXPLOITATION ( LABOR7 &1 DESPITE !IR 5VIRONM5TAL IMAGE1 FULLY SUPPORT ! EXPANSION ( ! OIL 9DU/RY ?R\< POT5TIALLY DISA/R\S DEEPWAT] DRILL+4 ,?IS CONTRADICTION IS SUMM$ UP BY ,ALEX ,SALMOND POS+ AS HE LI/5S SYMPA!TICALLY TO COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN]S & !N HOBNOBB+ ) ! LIKES ( ,BRIAN ,S\T]1 ,RUP]T ,MURDO* OR ,DONALD ,TRUMP 7BE=E ?AT BLEW UP 9 HIS FACE74 

,:AT %\LD AN>*I/S BE DO+8 ,I'VE BE5 9VOLV$ 9 A FEW 'DON'T VOTE1 ORGANIZE' CAMPAIGNS 9 PA/ ELECTIONS BUT !RE ISN'T MU* ( A CASE = ACTIVELY CAMPAIGN+ AGA9/ 9DEP5D5CE - ESPECIALLY S9CE IT'S UNLIKELY ?AT AN OP5 ,SCOTTI% BORD] W\LD IMP$E CROSS-BORD] SOLID>ITY4 ,TO DO SO W\LD BE TO DE FACTO SUPPORT ! ,UNIONI/S & IT NE$S TO BE EMPHASIZ$ ?AT EA* SIDE ( ! DEBATE REPRES5TS A DIFF]5T NATIONALISM4 ,9 TRU?1 ,I DON'T FEEL /RONGLY AB\T PEOPLE VOT+ 9 ! REF]5DUM4 ,IF !Y ?9K IT'S WOR? ! *ANCE (1 = EXAMPLE1 F9ALLY GETT+ RID ( ! NUKES1 RA!R ?AN BUY+ 9TO NATIONALISM1 !N ,I CAN UND]/& ?AT4 ,AS AN>*I/S1 WE OBVI\SLY %\LDN'T >GUE = VOT+ BUT NOR %\LD WE FETI%IZE ! ACT ( NOT VOT+4 ,( F> MORE IMPORTANCE IS ?AT WE >E \TSIDE ( ! N>RATIVE & CRITIQUE ALL POLITICAL MANAG]S4 

,! ,UNIONI/S 7,LABOR1 ! ,TORIES & ,LIB,DEMS7 ALREADY COME ACROSS AS A CR[D ( IMP]IAL /ORMTROOP]S (F]+ NO?+ BUT MORE ( ! SAME4 ,H[EV]1 ESPECIALLY S9CE ! LEFT >E UNEQUIVOCALLY BACK+ ,SCOTTI% NATIONALISM1 !RE'S BE5 LITTLE 9 ! WAY ( A *ALL5GE TO ! PRO-9DEP5D5CE CAMP'S CLAIMS OR RHETORIC ( (F]+ A SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC ALT]NATIVE4 ,>E WE TO BELIEVE ! ,S,N,P WILL BE DIFF]5T FROM O!R POLITICIANS & LIVE UP TO ALL !Y PROMISE8 ,AN 9DEP5D5T GOV]NM5T WILL HAVE A SUB/ANTIAL DEBT & /ILL FACE ! WID] ECONOMIC CRISIS2 IT WILL !RE=E HAVE TO RATIONALIZE ITS BUDGET1 DROP PROMISES & MAKE CUTS4 ,WE NE$ ONLY LOOK AT !IR CURR5T RECORD TO SEE ?IS 9 ACTION3 AL?\< ,SCOTL& UND] ! ,S,N,P HAS FREQU5TLY BE5 DESCRIB$ AS A SAFE HAV5 = ! WELF>E /ATE 9 COMP>ISON TO ,5GL& !RE HAVE BE5 CONSID]ABLE CUTS 9 ,N,H,S ,SCOTL& & AN APPRECIABLE RUND[N 9 ! S]VICE HOSPITALS PROVIDE4 ,SIMIL>LY1 ! ,S,N,P HAVE BE5 9VOLV$ 9 CUTS TO S]VICES 9 C\NCILS ACROSS ! C\NTRY4 ,?IS IS1 ( C\RSE1 :AT POLITICAL MANAG]S HAVE TO DO4 

,SCOTTI% NATIONALI/S ( ALL /RIPES CLAIM ?AT 9DEP5D5CE WILL REPRES5T A DRAMATIC EXT5SION ( DEMOCRACY4 ,NE$LESS TO SAY1 'WE' WILL NOT HAVE CONTROL OV] \R [N DE/9Y IF ,SCOTL& W]E TO GA9 9DEP5D5CE4 ,TALK ( ,SCOTS RUL+ !MSELVES & ( SELF-DET]M9ATION IS AN APPEAL+ RHETORIC :I* MASKS ! CONT9UITY ( ! CLASS SY/EM3 ! WORK+ CLASS WILL NOT SUDD5LY BECOME EMP[]$ BUT WEAL? & P[] WILL REMA9 CONC5TRAT$ 9 ! H&S ( A FEW4 ,IT IS POSSIBLE ?AT 9DEP5D5CE WILL ALL[ = SOCIAL MOVEM5TS 9 ,SCOTL& TO HAVE A GREAT] DEGREE ( 9FLU5CE BUT !RE WILL ALSO BE NEW OPPORTUNITIES = !SE MOVEM5TS TO BE CO-OPT$4 ,! DECISION-MAK+ P[] ( ! ,SCOTTI% /ATE ITSELF WILL ALWAYS BE SUBJECT TO ! VAG>IES ( GLOBAL CAPITAL1 ! MOVEM5T ( TRANSNATIONALS1 ! BULLY+ ( ,LONDON & CONTROLL+ EYE ( ! ,E,U & ,I,M,F4 ,MORE IMPORTANTLY1 HAV+ A SMALL] NATION /ATE WON'T LEAD TO EV] SMALL] DEMOCRATIC UNITS & IT WON'T REPLACE REPRES5TATIVE DEMOCRACY ) P>TICIPATIVE1 DIRECT DEMOCRACY4 ,TO SUGGE/ O!RWISE IS SIMPLY NAIVE1 & MISUND]/&S ?AT WORK+ CLASS PEOPLE CAN ONLY GA9 P[] = !MSELVES ?R\< /RUGGLE4 

,! DEMOCRATIC MY? IS A L>GE P>T ( LEFTI/S' JU/IFICATION = SUPPORT+ AN 9DEP5D5T /ATE4 ,! ,SCOTTI% ,SOCIALI/ ,P>TY SEES IT AS A MEANS = REJUV5AT+ !IR BR& ( P>LIAM5T>Y SOCIALISM :I*1 RELY+ AS IT DOES ON ELECTIONE]+ & ! /ATE1 IS BASICALLY A VISION ( ,OLD ,LABOR 9 A ,SCOTTI% CONTEXT3 NATIONALIZATION1 PROGRESSIVE TAXATION ETC4 ,CAPITALISM1 AS ALWAYS1 ISN'T ACTUALLY ?REAT5$1 IT'S ACCEPT$ ) ! HOPE ( GREAT] /ATE 9T]V5TION & WELF>E4 ,ONE ( !IR PLAT=MS1 ! ,REPUBLICAN ,COMMUNI/ ,NETWORK1 B5DS OV] BACKW>DS TO >GUE ?AT ,SCOTTI% 9DEP5D5CE IS P>T ( A /RATEGY = '9T]NATIONALISM FROM BEL['4 ,9 ?IS VIEW1 SECESSION W\LD BE A SIGNIFICANT ATTACK ON ,BRITI% IMP]IALISM4 ,BUT ,BRITI% IMP]IALISM IS A PALE %AD[ ( ITS =M] SELF1 PROBABLY DOESN'T REQUIRE ,SCOTL& & ISN'T ( 9TR9SIC IMPORTANCE TO CAPITALISM ANYWAY4 

,SIMPLY PUT1 !RE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE ?AT 9 AN 9DEP5D5T ,SCOTL& LIB]T>IAN SOCIALI/ ORGANIZ+ W\LD BE 9 REAL T]MS ANY EASI] OR ?AT BECAUSE ( ITS EXI/5CE WE W\LD SEE AN UPSURGE 9 CLASS /RUGGLE4 ,HAV+ ! POLITICAL CLASS CLOS] TO HOME DOESN'T NECESS>ILY MAKE REPLAC+ !M ANY LESS DIFFICULT4 ,IF ANY?+1 ! 9T5SIFICATION ( ! NATIONALI/ PROJECT *AMPION$ BY ALL APP>5TLY 'PROGRESSIVE' OP9ION C\LD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT 9 MY/IFY+ P[] & CLASS RELATIONS & UND]M9+ ! SELF-ORGANIZATION ( ! WORK+ CLASS 9 FAVOR ( ITS PASSIVITY & SUPPORT = NEW =MS ( FAIL$ IDEAS4 ,! BE/ WAY WE CAN PUT \R CASE ACROSS IS NOT ?R\< DEBATE ( AB/RACT BELIEFS BUT ?R\< \R IDEAS BE+ EMBODI$ 9 ACTUALLY EXI/+ ORGANIZATION & HAV+ ! ABILITY TO A*IEVE SMALL *ANGES ?R\< DIRECT ACTION & BUILD ON !M4 ,! SUCCESS ( WORK]S' SOLID>ITY 9 ,SCOTL& WILL BE VILIFI$ EQUALLY BY NATIONALI/S ( BO? SIDES ( ! DEBATE BUT SUPPORT$ BY MILITANT WORK]S 9 ,5GL& & ! RE/ ( ! WORLD4 

,LA/LY1 ,I M5TION$ ?AT ,SCOTTI% NATIONAL ID5TITY WAS 9 P>T MA9TA9$ FROM BEL[4 ,:AT ,I MEAN BY ?IS IS ?AT ! WORK+ CLASS DID EXP]I5CE CULTURAL & POLITICAL OPPRESSION AS WELL AS ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION & ?AT 9 ,SCOTL& !Y (T5 REACT$ TO ?IS BY RELAT+ IT TO CONCEPTS ( NATIONAL DIFF]5CE4 ,?R\<\T MOD]N ,SCOTTI% HI/ORY1 WORK]S' MOVEM5TS HAVE US$ ! IDEA ( A ,SCOTTI% NATION1 SOME =M ( HOME RULE1 OR EV5 A SOCIALI/ REPUBLIC AS A MEANS TO ADVOCATE !IR [N P[]1 CULTURES & MEAN+S 9 OPPOSITION TO C5TRALIZ$ CONTROL4 ,= AN>*I/S1 ?IS WAS AN ALI5AT$ RESI/ANCE :I* C\LD NEV] HAVE *ALL5G$ ! REAL BASIS ( !IR OPPRESSION 9 CLASS SOCIETY4 ,9/EAD ( WRIT+ (F !SE MOVEM5TS1 H[EV]1 WE CAN RECOGNIZE ?AT WRAPP$ UP 9 ! RHETORIC IS A G5U9E ASPIRATION = SELF-DET]M9ATION4 ,WE NE$ TO >GUE AGA9/ ,SCOTTI% NATIONALI/S OR ANYONE :O PU%ES /ATE SOLUTIONS FROM CO-OPT+ ! T]M 'SELF-DET]M9ATION' BECAUSE IT C\LD ONLY EV] TRULY MEAN WORK]S' DIRECTLY DEMOCRATIC CONTROL ( SOCIETY4 

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,*RONOLOGY 3 
,JANU>Y #a#f1 #bbb 3 ,9DEP5D5T & ,FREE8 -- ,ADD$4 

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