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Scottish Independence Vote

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Train Without a Station

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I think, as with Aus's republic, the current system wasn't deemed broken enough to warrant the unknowns in fixing it.

More likely Scotland had much more to lose from their independence than to gain.

What would they have gained by independence?

They could have lost membership to the EU, or become a new member on compromised trade terms.

I read that scotch accounts for 20% of their exports and that it's a British law that scotch whiskey can only be produced in Scotland, and that as part of trade agreements countries abide by this British law which may have changed in the case of independence with Scotland having little bargaining power.

In addition RBS was threatening to relocate to England if the yes vote won.

Sounds like a quick route to a 3rd world economy to me.
 

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
More likely Scotland had much more to lose from their independence than to gain.

What would they have gained by independence?

They could have lost membership to the EU, or become a new member on compromised trade terms.

I read that scotch accounts for 20% of their exports and that it's a British law that scotch whiskey can only be produced in Scotland, and that as part of trade agreements countries abide by this British law which may have changed in the case of independence with Scotland having little bargaining power.

In addition RBS was threatening to relocate to England if the yes vote won.

Sounds like a quick route to a 3rd world economy to me.
You have forgotten the oil factor and how much England would have to cede to Scotland, plus rental negotiations on nuclear weapons sites. Argument can be made that per head Scotland would be far better off in terms of GDP .
 

Highlander35

Andrew Slack (58)
The irony of saying this on an online forum is indeed hitting me repeatedly in the face, but it's all a bit academic and pointless to discuss it now isn't it?

Didn't happen for a lot of reasons, may have been significantly better if they said yes, may have been significantly worse, ultimately, in a poor climate without a legitimate evil in Westminster, that uncertainty played a big part.
 

ChargerWA

Mark Loane (55)
You have forgotten the oil factor and how much England would have to cede to Scotland, plus rental negotiations on nuclear weapons sites. Argument can be made that per head Scotland would be far better off in terms of GDP .
On the JJJ Hack news program the figures that were bandied about were that the Scots on their own would have had the worlds 20th richest economy with all of the oil reserves in the North Sea and Whisky. No mention of losing control of the Whisky.

But the UK as it stands is currently the 4th, so it was questionable how much better off they would have been.
 
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Train Without a Station

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What would we have actually gained by being a republic?

What would have lost though? We are completely independent and the only change would be from a prime minister to a president.

I agree it would be a purely emotionally driven decision for Australia, but we see no real benefit from it other than a 4 yearly dominance of the commonwealth games.

Glad to be told any benefit we do get from out link to the UK, but from what I am aware our only link would not be affected as we would remain allies with the Uk and USA for defence reasons and our foreign policy would not change.
 
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daz

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It wasn't that Australia was being asked to become a Republic or not in the last referendum, which I suspect would have got over the line easily; it was that we were being asked to become a republic or not under a very specific model, which was deeply flawed.

I have no opinion on the Scottish vote really. A question was asked and a majority answer was given. That's it, really.
 

Ruggo

Mark Ella (57)
[quote="daz, post: 665924, member: 1759"]It wasn't that Australia was being asked to become a Republic or not in the last referendum, which I suspect would have got over the line easily; it was that we were being asked to become a republic or not under a very specific model, which was deeply flawed.

I have no opinion on the Scottish vote really. A question was asked and a majority answer was given. That's it, really.[/quote]

My understanding is that Howard put the Keating model for which was unpopular as the main sticking point was the Parliament was to elect the President. That's the nuts and bolts of it I think. Don't know if it was flawed so to speak.
 
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daz

Guest
I stand corrected, Ruggo. Unpopular is a better description than flawed.
 

Ruggo

Mark Ella (57)
I'm not sure about the ins and outs of the Republican model Daz. I remember Malcom Turnbull had a lot to do with it and it kept large chunks of the Westminster system. I only recall that from reading Don Watson's "Recollections of a bleeding heart".

With 20 years of hindsight it would probably make for some good analysis. We know what popular politics has delivered up to this point.
 
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Train Without a Station

Guest
I'm indifferent to it anyway. I'm merely saying that's what is different between Australia and Scotland. Scotland potentially has a lot to lose, Australia would see no change other than the government structure (Which perhaps would be what we have to lose).
 
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