Might I give a plug here for a blog I have written for the New Left Project on the above, related themes? It's available here.
The conclusion is:
Scotland's choices have to be brave, insightful, and based on economic thinking that rejects so much of the fundamentally flawed thinking that has underpinned neoliberalism. This is precisely why so many Scots are tempted to vote yes. Scottish leaders of all parties have to rise to the challenge that the vision of the people they want to represent poses by delivering the sort of new economic thinking that a chap from Kirkcaldy* offered the world in 1776, but adapted for the twenty first century. The question is, will they?
I'm not optimistic, I admit.
* Adam Smith
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Am in agreement with the main thrust of your article. What baffled me was if Scotland is truly wealthy, skilled, educated etc. why should it need to have an alien currency? The SNP really should have been preparing for this ever since 2012. Similarly on tax, many states manage without engaging in a tax war with other states. It takes a vision of politics and of the future, as you suggest. When I saw the mention of a man from Kirkcaldy, though, it was a worry until the date 1776 sank in.
Kirkcaldy has more than one famous son
Smith will last longer than Brown too
I wonder if we are at a point in history where we can say:
1) Governments must be able to protect their citizens from debt driven austerity and predatory trading.
2) That Free Trade usually means the (undemocratic) expropriation of assets by MNC’s.
3) That the WTO has not eliminated poverty by the free flow of capital (witness the lack of infrastructure to cope with the Ebola outbreak in debt ridden countries).
4) EMU has been a disaster (except for Germany).
The Scots have a chance to counter this with a different approach-or, if a NO vote takes place, have at least set a milestone on the road to allowing Governments to work for it’s citizens and to throw into relief how illusory our democracy is.