Edinburgh, September
2014
The
Referendum for the Independence of Scotland is getting closer (there is only one week left until voters hand in their ballots). For this occasion the University
of Edinburgh has organised a debate at the Hall of Teviot Building, a palace in
perfect Harry Potter style. The queue to get into the Hall on the first floor
is so long that there are even people standing outside the building. At 7 o’
clock the doors are opened and a mass of students take their seats in an orderly
and quiet way.
In the
middle of the stage there is the presenter of the night, a guy with big ears
wearing a tie, who is the ex-chair of the Debating Society. On each of his
sides there are two panellists, whose physical position on the stage reflects their
political one: on the left Donald Smith, Director of the Scottish Storytelling
Centre, and an exponent of the National Collective[1];
on the right two panellists from ‘Better Together’[2].
The
question of the Referendum is: ‘should Scotland become independent or not?’.
‘It’s time for Scotland to grow up’ says the left-winger D. Smith. ‘Live it, not
leave it’ say the panellists on the right. The four debaters present arguments
for political, economical and cultural positions: constitution, democracy,
equal distribution of wealth, the currency and the start up of a new economic system, identity and nationalism, Scotland in relation to the UK and the EU.
Creating
and adopting a new constitution would cost a lot of money, which could be
invested in better ways, such as health and education, according to the right;
on the other hand, according to the left, a written constitution would finally
define rights and obligations of Scotland towards the rest of the UK, finally
preventing Westminster-the centre of the political British
power- from exercising its hegemony above Scotland.
The main
concern for the right is the economic situation in the case of Scotland
becoming an independent country: not only the fact that the eventual currency has
not been established yet represents a big uncertainty, but also the cost of
living will increase, foreign companies will stop investing in Scottish
multinationals and, in the worst scenario, Scottish economy will collapse: the
oil provided by the Scottish land will not be enough to sustain an entire
country for ever.
On the other
hand, the left argues that the pound will remain the currency; the independence
of Scotland will not stop foreign companies from investing into Scottish
multinationals and taking advantage of them; Scotland has enough local resources
to sustain the
country: not only the highly-discussed oil which will last for decades, but also
many other such as textiles, whisky, tourism etc.
Moreover,
according to the right, the independence of Scotland would undermine its
membership to the EU, but, according to the left, it is the opposite: the UK
might not be part of the EU anymore, if Westminster continues on this political
line; therefore, there are more probabilities for an independent Scotland to be
part of the EU: Scotland is indeed more willing to stay in the EU than the rest
of the UK and it has all the requirements to do that.
For the
right party there is no relevant difference between a Scot, an Irish, an
English or a Welsh, therefore there is no point for Scotland to be independent,
left-wingers are just ‘patriotic utopians’. Moreover, it is always better to
cooperate than to act alone, this radical ‘detachment’ will only have negative
consequences: it will totally subvert the economic and political system, in a
domestic and in a foreign dimension, so as to bring Scotland to the
‘cataclysm’.
Left-wingers
are more positive and constructive, arguing that all the right propaganda is
based on the fear of change, and accusing the conservative party of being
scared by ‘innovation’. For the left, on the other hand, the referendum is an ‘unmissable’
occasion to revive and raise the cultural and working aspirations, ‘valuing’ Scottish tradition, and allowing
Scotland to emancipate from the dominant England and to finally walk on her own
legs!
For me it’s
funny not only to assist to the possible creation of a nation but also to be
able to vote, despite of the fact that I arrived in Edinburgh two weeks ago!
According to the law, in order to vote it is not necessary to be Scottish, but it
is sufficient to live here. Moreover, even young people who have just turned 16
are allowed to vote. This legislation is done to encourage people to vote since
voting is the most important right/duty that a citizen has got to express
his/her opinion!
