Saturday, September 20, 2014

Globalization: Scotland - The Victory Of The Wimps

(Drivebycuriosity) - Scotland has decided. The majority voted "No" to independence. "No change please", we are Scots.

This was a victory of the wimps. Wikipedia defines a "wimp" as "a cowardly or unadventurous individual" (wikipedia). The majority was afraid to change the status quo, afraid to try something new, which could have led to a better Scotland.

It seems that the Scots, at least their majority, are shortsighted. They focused on current issues - like the high public debts - and ignored the long term benefits of independence. Small countries - and regions - are easier to govern and to manage as huge states. The government of an independent Scotland would have been much closer to their citizens as the government in London which has to deals with other (and more important) regions. An independent Scottish government could have responded better to local needs. Government decisions about taxes, health care, public spending and more would have been fairer and closer to the interests of the Scots.


History also shows that small countries - and independent regions - are less bureaucratic. Scotland´s secession would have lead to a decentralization. Wikipedia writes that decentralization "increases efficiency - and effectiveness - due to reduction of congestion in communications, quicker reaction to unanticipated problems, improved ability to deliver of services, improved information about local conditions, and more support from beneficiaries of programs" (wikipedia).

The Scots are too wimpish to go the way of Singapore, they didn´t want to follow former members of the defunct Soviet Union like the Baltic States who chose the independence. They also ignored the role model Switzerland which has been proven for centuries that a tiny country could do better than her neighbors.

It seems the Scots - at least their majority - got intimidated by threads to be thrown out of the European Union, the NATO and other organizations. I believe that these threads are toothless and just saber rattling. There would have been no need for infantile revenge and an independent Scotland would have been a valuable global partner like Singapore and Switzerland.

I feel sorry for Scotland.

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