If you want independence, then you need to make a better case than a vague and limp “it sounds like a good idea”!

Self Determination, freedom, independence etc. are very emotive words. The emotions come from the fact that one is being ruled by somebody unwanted. Like the old quote goes, “it might be in your interest to enslave us, but how is it in our interest to be your slaves”. When a group decides that it had enough of “foreign” rulership, it revolts and then if they are lucky, a new country is born. This birth of a new country is not a given and the process is quite difficult.

But one of the crucial factors behind the success of any national independence movement is a deep belief in the separateness of the nation -, a deep faith that they are being kept down or oppressed by the ruling nation and a strong desire that their nation’s destiny will be better guided by themselves. That and few other bits and bobs with a dash of luck will get you your own country.

What wont get you independence is a very wishy washy statement, which effectively says: "well, ummm, perhaps it might be better to be independent, but we aren’t so sure, but we think we might be able to do better, so there is a possibility, a chance, not 100% sure, but still …" Unfortunately, the opening shot for Scottish Independence in the 21st century is not really a shot, but a limp dishrag of a document.

The Scottish Government, lead by the Scottish National Party (SNP), took power in Scotland and lead its government since early this year. This is the first time that a Scottish party has actually won power in the devolved Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. The SNP has never hidden its primary desire to make Scotland independent from the United Kingdom and despite not being able to achieve a full majority in the parliament, it was able to form a government. As soon as it came to power, it started working on its primary objective, namely start work on independence and it released a discussion paper on the three possible shapes of Scottish Independence.

Continued on at : http://piquancy.blogspot.com/2007/08/if-you-want-independence-then-you-need.html