Why Are You A Nationalist?

[Septentrional Wasp]

I really liked Braveheart.

[Mr Heliums]

There was this woman who had been interviewed on BBC that was from some snooty town that said the SNP shouldn't be allowed to get any powers in Westminster as they want to break up the country

The language is fascinating: the SNP wants to 'break up' and 'destroy' Britain, while UKIP simply wants to leave Europe.

[John Lambies Doos]

Not really agree with the term nationalist.

Im pro Scottish and believe we should look after our own affairs. I wouldn't call the French people nationalists, because they run their own affairs, nor the swedish or German; I would call them citizens.

Scotland is a country, im a Scottish citizen, and I want my country to be an equal in the world.

[Fide]

Firstly, I think this country is massively unfair and we could do so much better. We have bankers getting literally billions in bonuses while people queue to feed their kids or die because they can't afford to heat their house. The SNP are the first party to seek to challenge the status quo and say "we're not going to accept that this is as good as it gets".

Secondly, as said, we are a fantastic wee country. We're substantially more to the left in our ideals and thoughts than the rest of the UK. We have an embarrassment of riches, fantastic talent and I feel we would thrive and make many friends on our own.

[The_Kincardine]

Scotland to some extent is complicit in the role of empire

Goodness. Is this the understatement of the decade? Scotland rode the Empire fucking rotten.

[Mr Rational]

The Force is strong in my family.

My father has it.

My mother had it.

I have it.

[speckled tangerine]

My mum has always been a huge Nationalist and a huge influence. She met Wendy Wood and around the same time my great grandad was working at St Andrews House for Willie Ross, who treated him and others with total contempt and Scotland not much better. Then of course came Winnie and Margo; strong women who cemented her beliefs that Scotland could be better, more equal and not a fiefdom for unionist establishment types, both Labour and Tory.

I'd echo much of above from other posters but the kicker for me was working abroad, notably in Austria and Ireland, both small countries with notably higher standards of living than Scotland and wondering why the f**k we accept that what we have is as good as it gets. Why should these two nations with little of the resources we have be so far ahead of us?

It was absolutely underlined for me during the indyref that poor, skint, subsidy ridden Scotland was begged to stay with the full force of the British state playing every trick in the book. It didn't ring true because it is not true.

I think Westminster is shitting their breeks at the thought of the SNP having a sniff of a chance as the books will be opened and the lie exposed that we've been shafted for a very, very long time.

[HTG]

The best people to run

Australia = Australians

India = Indians

Canada = Canadians

Scotland = English???

I'm Scottish and I believe the best people to run Scotland Left/Right/Centre is our own people, it really is that simple.

This. I'd be interested to know whether any other countries on the planet with a population of 5m plus sit back and allow themselves to be governed with overwhelming influence by another country. The recent mantra from down south that "they shouldn't have the right to say what happens down here" really hasn't helped. "They" are expected to know their place.

[Mr Rational]

Oh goody, according to Dave, we are all toxic today.....

[Scary Bear]

For me it's just pragmatism. If you think about it, who is going to care more about Scotland than the people who live here?

I don't see myself as a 'nationalist'. I'm not even sure what that means (yes, I know Google is my friend). I don't even know, or really care, what Marxist or Trotskyist mean. When I hear that parties are progressive or regressive, that also means little to me. I am probably in a sizeable majority of the electorate on this.

I am an engineer and I work out how to solve problems/issues on a regular basis. For me, the UK is too hard a problem to solve. I see Scotland as being easier to solve.

I would like to see land reform take place, by way of the scrapping of the law of Primogeniture and a 1% inheritance tax on land, for starters. This could already happen, but the taxes would just go to the Treasury in London.

I would like to see us grow the population of Scotland and improve transport links with Europe and the rest of the World.

I would like to see us get Full Fiscal Autonomy (despite possibly starting with a deficit) and change the nature of our relationship with the rest of the UK.

Then, depending on where we are, I may be happy to stop short of Independence. Who knows what people's views would then be.

The UK is the equivalent of the lazy b*****d at work. It's too fucking lazy to try and change and it has a vested interest not to. It's also scared that if there is change it might get found out.

[FuzzyAffro]

For me it's just pragmatism. If you think about it, who is going to care more about Scotland than the people who live here?

I don't see myself as a 'nationalist'. I'm not even sure what that means (yes, I know Google is my friend). I don't even know, or really care, what Marxist or Trotskyist mean. When I hear that parties are progressive of regressive, that also means little to me. I am probable in a sizeable majority of the electorate on this.

I am an engineer and I work out how to solve problems/issues on a regular basis. For me, the UK is too hard a problem to solve. I see Scotland as being easier to solve.

I would like to see land reform take place, by way of the scrapping of the law of Primogeniture and a 1% inheritance tax on land, for starters. This could already happen, but the taxes would just go to the Treasury in London.

I would like to see us grow the population of Scotland and improve transport links with Europe and the rest of the World.

I would like to see us get Full Fiscal Autonomy (despite possibly starting with a deficit) and change the nature of our relationship with the rest of the UK.

Then, depending on where we are, I may be happy to stop short of Independence. Who knows what people's views would then be.

The UK is the equivalent of the lazy b*****d at work. It's too fucking lazy to try and change and it has a vested interest not to. It's also scared that if there is change it might get found out.

What would be the point in stopping short of independence in that scenario? And you do realise most of what you list can't be achieved if we're not independent right?

[Grim O'Grady]

I consider myself to be an Internationalist, so I will be voting SNP for many of the reasons mentioned above. Being from the North of England, I would hope to develop links with south of the border about how we extract ourselves from Westminster, so it's a blueprint as much for them & the rUK.

Breaking with Westminster is only the 1st step.

Grimbo

[Scary Bear]

What would be the point in stopping short of independence in that scenario? And you do realise most of what you list can't be achieved if we're not independent right?

I realise that Transport is a devolved issue as is the ability for land reform.

Improved transport links could be achieved, but probably on a smaller scale than I'm imagining.

Land reform can be done, but the benefits - in terms or taxation - would go to the treasury at the moment. So unless we could make sure they stayed in Scotland, what would be the point.

What would be the point of stopping short? I'm not sure. We all inhabit the same island and I can buy into some of the shared culture stuff. Maybe in a radically changed scenario we would be better together. Then again, maybe not. I'd be interested to see what people's views were at that time. Obviously, getting FFA is another step towards independence as it can either prove or disprove the scare stories/current information on Scotland's finances.

If FFA works then it would probably be easier to get people to vote Yes.

[SodjesSixteenIncher]

Bit pedantic but I wouldn't identify as a Nationalist particularly, although I don't consider it a negative word either. My reasons for voting Yes just weren't all that grounded in nationalism, certainly less so than the No campaign.

Anyway, it's a practical thing for me. What I'd like to live in is a fair, prosperous (for everyone) country, which is a responsible and cooperative player in the global community.

A) This will never happen in a million years as part of a country which has elitism, corruption and Billy Big Bollocks Empire Syndrome enshrined in every facet of its institutions.

B) Looking at any index of standard of living, it seems to me that small countries are the model for this kind of society. Presumably they can play to their strengths and build an economy around their resources and areas of expertise.

I also think Scotland rejecting the UK and it's regressive values would be a great thing for the world - not least England.

[FuzzyAffro]

I realise that Transport is a devolved issue as is the ability for land reform.

Improved transport links could be achieved, but probably on a smaller scale than I'm imagining.

Land reform can be done, but the benefits - in terms or taxation - would go to the treasury at the moment. So unless we could make sure they stayed in Scotland, what would be the point.

What would be the point of stopping short? I'm not sure. We all inhabit the same island and I can buy into some of the shared culture stuff. Maybe in a radically changed scenario we would be better together. Then again, maybe not. I'd be interested to see what people's views were at that time. Obviously, getting FFA is another step towards independence as it can either prove or disprove the scare stories/current information on Scotland's finances.

If FFA works then it would probably be easier to get people to vote Yes.

We can't increase our population either if WM controls our immigration policy, they need to reduce immigration we need to increase it.

Good post though.

[git-intae-thum]

Goodness. Is this the understatement of the decade? Scotland rode the Empire fucking rotten.

Scots were involved in all the nastier aspects of empire. But under the union flag of England.

The terms "Britain" and "British" only really become popular in this country in the first half of the 20thC. Up until then the nation was almost always termed England. Try having a look back through old history books or political speeches. During WW1 a giant recruitment poster was put up in George Square asking men to enlist and fight for England.

Indeed to many other nations when they refer to the UK, they still use the term England.

I would premise that Empire is a chapter in our nation we will look back on with some shame.

Utterly browbeaten Britnat Scots, who had all sense of their own nationhood and self worth long knocked out of them, going round the world terrorising local populations and stealing their wealth.

All for the glory of England.

[HardyBamboo]

My mum has always been a huge Nationalist and a huge influence. She met Wendy Wood and around the same time my great grandad was working at St Andrews House for Willie Ross, who treated him and others with total contempt and Scotland not much better. Then of course came Winnie and Margo; strong women who cemented her beliefs that Scotland could be better, more equal and not a fiefdom for unionist establishment types, both Labour and Tory.

I'd echo much of above from other posters but the kicker for me was working abroad, notably in Austria and Ireland, both small countries with notably higher standards of living than Scotland and wondering why the f**k we accept that what we have is as good as it gets. Why should these two nations with little of the resources we have be so far ahead of us?

It was absolutely underlined for me during the indyref that poor, skint, subsidy ridden Scotland was begged to stay with the full force of the British state playing every trick in the book. It didn't ring true because it is not true.

I think Westminster is shitting their breeks at the thought of the SNP having a sniff of a chance as the books will be opened and the lie exposed that we've been shafted for a very, very long time.

Great post, particularly the last paragraph, this is their greatest fear IMO.

[NotThePars]

Goodness. Is this the understatement of the decade? Scotland rode the Empire fucking rotten.

You won't hear a denial from me. England's empire wasn't worth the name until they drafted the Scots in to run it for them. That doesn't mean I don't want a clean break though. Let England cling on to it's history and we'll forge a new progressive identity that we've got the potential for.

[Double Jack D]

I realise that Transport is a devolved issue as is the ability for land reform.

Improved transport links could be achieved, but probably on a smaller scale than I'm imagining.

Land reform can be done, but the benefits - in terms or taxation - would go to the treasury at the moment. So unless we could make sure they stayed in Scotland, what would be the point.

What would be the point of stopping short? I'm not sure. We all inhabit the same island and I can buy into some of the shared culture stuff. Maybe in a radically changed scenario we would be better together. Then again, maybe not. I'd be interested to see what people's views were at that time. Obviously, getting FFA is another step towards independence as it can either prove or disprove the scare stories/current information on Scotland's finances.

If FFA works then it would probably be easier to get people to vote Yes.

I'm totally with you, in my mind there isn't a world of difference between FFA, Devo max or Independence with a shared currency etc. If we were to get FFA we may end up quite content with that, especially if Scotland gets a fairer input to the democracy of the UK. Time will tell on this of course.

I think that the 2 primary reasons for me being a Nat are:

1. We have different problems than England and the policy solutions for these English problems can be quite harmful to Scotland. Immigration is a prime example but there are many others.
2. Who better to decide our policies than the people who live here.

[FuzzyAffro]

We couldn't ever have a significant say at WM as part of the UK, we are only 8.4% of the UK's population.

FFA would still see us enter into wars like Iraq at the behest of London too. Independence is the only solution to all these things.