There is no real single entity that can be identified as a singular “Scottish separatist movement”, but rather, there are smaller groups which could be put together under that banner of separatism. In fact, those groups could be on the verge of victory this year, as Scotland prepares for its most important referendum in its history - asking the simple, yet loaded question: “should Scotland be an independent country?” But, before that day comes, we should look at the means for why Scotland should consider this as a viable replacement for governance as part of the United Kingdom. What influence was there in this idea of separation from the UK? What caused this movement to take form? Are their ideals democratic? How can Scotland possibly survive without the UK and its benefits? As we are steeped in very current affairs, there’s quite a lot that will change over time, but that doesn’t stop us from diving deep into what makes this movement tick.
However, to understand that ticking, we need to understand the country itself. Scotland had its start as an independent nation, starting from its founding in the earliest period of the Middle Ages. However, there was constant turmoil over the years, as there were two wars for independence (from 1296-1306 and 1332-1357, respectively), leading up to 1707, when the Treaty of Union was passed (which allowed for the kingdoms of Scotland and England to unionize). In those times, the merger between the Scottish and the English was seen as hostile, but later developed into a powerful partnership that was unlike anything that was ever experienced before in those times. Scotland, however, still wasn’t very convinced that this was a measure which needed to take place, as the ratification of the Treaty o...
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...K." Better Together. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .
Shapiro, Ari. "Will Scotland Go Independent? A Primer On The Secession Vote." NPR. NPR, 5 Mar. 2014. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .
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William Wallace is considered a legend in Scotland. For years, England and Scotland were at war, and behind many of the battles for Scotland’s independence was William Wallace. While the information about him, like any good hero, might be over exaggerated by some historians, what’s true is that he gave the country hope that Scotland could be free from English Tyranny. For years after he died, others took his place in saving Scotland from English rule.
... Human Rights in Scotland [PDF] available at Scottish Human Rights Commission website; scottishhumanrights.com/application/resources/documents/SNAP-GettingitRightAnOverviewofHumanRightsinScotland2012.pdf (p.215)
The Quebec referendum that was held in 1995 was a second round of vote that was meant to give the residents of the Quebec province in Canada the chance to determine whether they wanted to secede from Canada and thus establish Quebec as a sovereign state. Quebec has had a long history of wanting to secede from Canada, considering that it is the Canadian providence that is predominantly inhabited by the French-speaking people, whose political relationship with the rest of the Canadian provinces, mostly inhabited by the English-speaking people has been characterized by conflicting ideologies . Thus, the 1995 referendum was not the first political attempt to have Quebec gain its own independence. The discussion holds that the Quebec 1995 referendum would have had both positive and negative implications. Therefore, this discussion seeks to analyze the political consequences that would have f...
Not a unified and separate country until 1921, Northern Ireland has had cultural, financial, and economic that makes it stand affront from the rest of the Emerald Isles. With its close proximity to England and the immigration all through the 1600s of English and Scottish, Northern Ireland has become more anglicized th...
Henderson, Ailsa. Hierarchies of belonging: National identity and political culture in Scotland and Quebec. McGill-Queen's Press-MQUP, 2007.
As is evidenced in the UK’s devolved unitary system, the Canadian federation and the European Union, each model aims to protect regional diversity and autonomy within it’s limitations, though the degree to which autonomy is granted creates a natural tension between unity and the desire for subsidiarity and self-determination. In devolution, asymmetrical federalism and the constitutional framework of a confederation there is the ability to manage diversity, discourage secession, and ensure stability, but with each of these comes the danger of divisive encouragement of difference. It is up to the individual governments in question then, how to best manage diversity and unity. As phrased by George Anderson, perhaps “stability can be enhanced if the culture goes beyond mere tolerance of diversity to the active embrace of diversity as part of what defines the country and gives it it's value. Institutional arrangements can hep societies better manage their conflicts, but institutions alone are not enough…” Perhaps the answer to encouraging national unity is not then found in the model, but in the contingencies of identity and
Over the years the main parties in Scotland have different position about Scottish devolution, so the success of pro-devolution forces in the 1997 referendum was thank to a cross-party support within the campaigns for Scottish self-government. During the 1997 election Scotland was promised a referendum on devolution by the Labour Party, what was carried out in 1997 four months after the general election. The process of devolution started, leading to a Scottish Parliament based in Edinburgh coming into being in 1999.
The question of whether Quebec will secede from Canada to become an independent nation has been a hot topic in the country for several years now. It dates back to the abortive rebellions of 1837-38. In 1980, a referendum to secede was rejected by a 60-40 margin. Since then though, the numbers of Quebeckers that want to become sovereign has significantly increased. There is so many questions of what will happen if this does happen. In this paper I plan to take a deeper look at this situation and try to figure out what it would actually be like if Quebec was its own country.
Events in the past have affected modern day Scots. When these events first occurred in Scotland, the Scots kept these memories and traditions with pride that stayed with them throughout years. As more and more generations pass, the sense of Scottish pride stays with them as they teach it to their children. The generations that followed Prince Charlie’s legacy grew up with Scottish patriotism. The families that survived the famine learned and passed on the ideal to not waste resources. Scottish emigrants kept their Highland culture by publicly showing their Scottish roots. The stereotype of Scots were caused by the pride that had been brought down from generation to generation that still live today.
...nnot be legitimized by his loyalty to Scotland, it is only a political rule. He therefore also lacks the ‘‘king becoming graces’’ of devotion.
The Irish and British governments fought for many years over the ownership of Northern Ireland. Britain had main control over Northern Ireland, and Ireland did not think that was fair. Be...
It was this belief that prevented the Scottish people from intermingling with the surrounding nations and ultimately birthed a form of ethnic pride
Knowing that I was where I felt I belonged, was the best feeling in the world. All of the scenery, the important places we saw, the beautiful buildings and animals, was a site I will never forget. Being Scottish used to just be cool to me knowing that my Grandad was born in Scotland and that I had Scottish blood in my veins. After I saw the house he was born in, it changed my viewpoints, I felt that Scotland was one of the most beautiful places I knew about, and being apart of that wasn’t something I should take lightly.
In their book, Smith and Wistrich state that Britain sensed a problem in the identity once there has been devolution of power to Scotland and Wales in 1998 (2009). It maybe true that Scots and Welsh feel more attached to their own na...
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (London: 2005). pp. 51, 71-72. Accessed May 3, 2014. http://www.jhud.co.uk/huddleston/uk2005_tcm77-248610.pdf.