Everything you need to know about Scotland’s independence vote
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Version 0 of 1. Scots headed to the polls Thursday to determine whether or not to break its 300-year-old United Kindgom relationship. If Scotland decides to leave the U.K., it would be the first such breakup in Europe since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993. To help prepare you for whatever vote result comes, here is The Washington Post's guide to the Scotland referendum. 9 big questions about the possible divide: Here's an important one: What would an independent Scotland look like? Although some fear an economic decline, supporters envion "a departure from the austerity and inequities of Tory-run Britain and a shift toward a more Scandinavian-style social democracy." 8 movies about Scotland you should watch: Please don't say "Braveheart" and tell your friends to stop shouting "Freedom." Scotland isn't the only big referendum this year: Votes on single issues dominated this year, most notably when the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea voted to become a Russian territory. For some perspective, here are how nine other new nations are doing: From Kosovo to East Timor, here's an idea of how newly formed nations are faring. Nevermind the referendum: No matter what happens, there is already a clear winner. And it's the absence of jargon. These 8 places could be next. Seperatist movements in Italy's Veneto and Spain's Catolonia could take off. Would Briton's still be British? The name, the flag, the culture: So much could change if Scotland leaves. The country's independence "wouldn't just change what it means to be Scottish – it would fundamentally change what it means to be British." Blame Margaret Thatcher. Her legacy still polarizes many in the United Kingdom. The leader of the "Yes" campaign, Alex Salmond, has blamed what he sees as her controversial economic policies that have made many in Scotland desire an independent nation. Could Scottish independence leader Alex Salmond be the cause? "He's been labeled a "bully" by the Daily Telegraph, ravaged by critics for his positive comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin at the height of tensions over Ukraine, and compared to Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe by Britain's leading conservative magazine." It may be for the sake of the economy. "Even in the best case," writes Matt O'Brien, "independent Scotland would have to save more for rainy days, which could very well be more frequent when it's on its own." And the peculiar history of Scotland and England will continue.
Related: Scots turn out to vote in independence referendum View Photo Gallery —Voters from across Scotland streamed into polling places Thursday to have their say in a historic referendum that could create the world’s newest independent nation, while breaking up one of the West’s oldest and most consequential political unions. |