It's been a few days since the vote, and I've been thinking about the outcome. First, some background: I was born in Scotland and lived there all my life, up until almost five years ago. I've been in the US for the last three years, and before that I was in London. Living overseas and expecting a no vote, I paid little attention in the run up to last week's referendum. That was until the polls suddenly announced it looked like it would be a "yes" for independence. I was electrified! As a Scot living overseas I wouldn't be able to cast my vote, but the outcome would be important for me nonetheless.
Following plans for the referendum, announced back in 2012, I'd given it little thought. The prevailing wisdom was that it would - "of course" - be "no" to independence and "yes" to staying part of the UK. That is what happened in the end, but I've surprised myself in being sad about that outcome. I've never voted for the Scottish National Party and I always thought independence was rather silly. And it infuriated me that so much of the argument seemed to come down to the fact that with an independent Scotland, we would keep 100% of the oil revenue and that would pay for everything. But yet, in last few weeks, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to see Scotland become independent.
The vast majority of my friends and family voted no. If you're from a well-off middle class background the chances of you voting that way are much more likely. I guess it's because you potentially have a lot more to lose. If you have a comfortable life, a good job, and your kids are at a private school then why risk changing from the status quo?
I think entrepreneurs probably felt the same way. What currency would Scotland use? How long would it take to get back into the EU? How many jobs would be lost to England? Would English customers be happy buying from a Scottish company? Nonetheless, an independent Scotland would have brought many opportunities for entrepreneurs; with change always comes opportunity. But while entrepreneurs make the most of it when it comes, they don't go out and seek it. Uncertainty and risk are to be minimised! You calculate and predict what level of risk you're comfortable with. An independent Scotland was an uncertain future with too many unknowns. While the short-term pain would have been great, with who-knows-what bureaucratic minefields to traverse, the long-term I think was compelling. Instead of protecting what we have right now, it was about a better future for Scotland.
Instead, the no vote was all about fear, and as a Scot living overseas I was in a comfortable position with little to fear. A new passport maybe? I was able to think about what Scotland could be. Not looking to its past, but the potential of its future. It was no surprise to me that a majority of 16 and 17 year olds voted for independence. With 5 or 6 years more of free education ahead of them, they would be insulated from whatever negative effects might occur in the job market short-term and would be just entering the workforce once the dust had settled.
In the end, the vote was to stay part of the UK. But, while not everyone will rejoice the outcome, we can all celebrate the astonishing turnout of around 85%. The people of Scotland have been heard!
I look forward to the future, and to see what happens next: the major British parties have pledged to give even more powers to the Scottish Parliament. Maybe that will that be enough to keep the Union together, but I somehow doubt it. I think it's got to the point now where the only thing that might work for the long-term is a completely new federal solution for the United Kingdom. I don't see politicians having the courage to go down that route. The fundamental problem is the UK is a union of four countries which is dominated by just one of them. It's clear that the current set up is unfair to all parties and a fully federal solution would probably be a lot better for Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland, but would it be fairer for England? These and other mind-numbing questions will gobble up hours of airtime, and many column inches.
I don't know about other entrepreneurs, but I'll be keeping my head down. I can do without the frustration! But I'll be keeping an eye on this issue a lot more closely from now on, and I'll continue looking for opportunities wherever they arise, and whatever the politics of the day.
