Having a Voice

I live in a middle class area near Glasgow and have family and friends in Edinburgh. In my experience it is easier for unionists to have a voice and speak their minds. Unionists feel they can say what they like, openly and freely, without fear of any repercussions. 

By contrast, I have supported an independent Scotland all my life, but I often feel I have to keep quiet or am looked on as an oddity. The middle classes are supposed to support the hierarchy establishment, in order of protect their own wealth. It matters not it seems, that Scotland has one of the most unequal land ownership, embarrassing levels of poverty and that tenant farmers have no rights. The tiny rich elite must be protected at all costs and this elite are determinedly against change of any kind. Who owns Scotland and why are they being subsidized?  I don’t want Scotland to be part of a centralized trickle-down economics from a London super state and under American vested interests. The Tories also want to enforce market-driven health care here. Many Indy supporters are threatened. How is this democratic?

One told me recently with regard to Scottish indy, that she didn’t want to get smaller. I have heard this concern before and it strikes me as a completely different way of viewing Scotland’s indy. I want Scotland to get bigger on the world stage and to be able to protect our national interests and resources - why not? Presently Scotland is side-lined, ignored and diminished as part of disunited UK and our resources are being squandered. We are led by arrogant, ignorant and lazy politicians at Westminster. 

I don’t want an indy Scotland building walls with its neighbours or with Europe. Indy is not about borders for me. We must speak with both national and international voices. Change can only happen in small places. Scottish indy is both inclusive and outward looking. At a talk at Edinburgh book festival, Gina Miller spoke of moving pivisions – and I agree – but moving past wealth divisions will not be so easy. The system needs changed through independence.

How are we best governed? What is best practice? Why is making decisions locally ‘being smaller’? In todays internet world we can live on remote islands and still remain connected to the outside world. Europe has moved on and rejected feudalism. America has not moved on, even while it has a Bill of Rights and a written constitution (unlike UK) – it continues to have protected elites and vested interests. I lived for ten years in America and it does have a federal system of government where each state controls its VAT and state taxes. But it also has great divides and inequalities. 

False tribalism and division must end for the sake of our country. But there are differences here. I believe difference and informed different views are essential to reach a realistic consensus. But artificial tribes, around old, ignorant hatreds have no place in a progressive democracy. It is a fallacy that ’Brexit’ is about any kind of independence – its really about leaving the world’s most successful trading block. 

This is not only about land – its about power and privilege – and this inequality affects all areas of Scottish life, the urban lowlands also. It’s a culture of divisiveness, rather than a culture of co-operation and equal life chances. We can’t all be the same, but we can have equal opportunities. 

Self-determination for Scotland, means making our own decisions in Scotland’s best interests and also being good neighbours and in a larger trading block. Self-determination means being connected with the democracies of Europe – rather than in the pocket of American wealthy elites. Scotland has centuries of cultural and trading links with Europe. 

I believe the size of Scotland is ideal in todays world, to be adaptable and progressive for the future. We can have a media that represents Scotland; we can protect our resources, protect our heritage and invest in local infrastructure. Scottish Indy is a fight to protect our civil rights and our stories and culture. Maybe if Scotland does this, other parts of England will follow. Recently I saw a map of who owns Scotland, and I was shocked by the tiny white sections of publicly owned land. Scotland has the most unequal land ownership in the world. This land was stolen from the church after the Reformation in 1560.  

Perhaps its time to give it back. Instead of a culture of false greed, we can have a culture of co-operation? I hope this isn’t all about money and that we can all have an equal voice. We have a choice now. We must act, and act soon to change all that.

George Buchanan Father of Democracy

A short distance from my home there is a monument in the small town of KiIlearn to one of the most important writers on democracy, reformer George Buchanan. 

He was one of the most significant literary and political figures of the 16^th century -  poet, playwright, historian, humanist scholar, and teacher to the great French essayist Michel de Montagne, Mary Queen of Scots and later to her son James VI of Scotland and I of England (United Kingdom.)

Buchanan was a native Gaelic speaker from lower loch Lomond. He was deeply impressed that the Gael had held on to their language and culture for more than two thousand years. He was a Catholic, who was committed himself to the Reformation, and he joined the Reformed Protestant church in 1560s and published

In his article, The birth of the Democratic Intellect, professor Alan Raich, (National July 2017) discussed the importance of Buchanan’s writings. Buchanan wrote De Jure Regni apud Scotos, published in 1579 - one of the most important books in all British (or European) literature on democracy for all. It is originally the most essential text in our understanding of the constitution and the state. (how many of us have heard of it?)

“His book follows the Declaration of Arbroath (1320) in saying that all political power resides in the people, and it must reside in the people: and that it is lawful and necessary to resist kings (or queens, or we might say all rulers) if (or when) they become tyrants.

Buchannan was basing his argument at least partly on his understanding of the clan system. There were many attempts to suppress his work, in the century following – particularly by the king he tutored and he foresaw where stupid Stewart vanity would lead. He was a major player  in the European cultural context.”

 

monument to George buchanan at Killearn

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George Buchanan 1508 - 1582 was a Scottish historian and humanist

Buchanan was "the most profound intellectual sixteenth century Scotland produced." His ideology of resistance to royal usurpation gained widespread acceptance during the Scottish Reformation. Keith Brown says the ease with which King James VII was deposed in 1689 shows the power of Buchananite ideas.

His father, a Highlander and a younger son of an old family, owned the farm of Moss, in the parish of Killearn but he died young, leaving his widow, five sons, and three daughters in poverty. George's mother, Agnes Heriot, was of the family of the Heriots of Trabroun, of which George Heriot, founder of Heriots hospital was also a member. Buchanan, a native speaker of Gaelic. In 1520 he went to the university of Paris and studied logic under John Mair.

In 1528 Buchanan graduated M.A. at Scots college, University of Paris. The next year he was appointed regent or professor, in the, College of Sainte-Barbe and taught there for over three years. Sainte-Barbe was one of the most prestigious and advanced colleges at that time. George added to that prestige by creating new reforms in teaching Latin. In 1529 he was elected "Procurator of the German Nation" in the University of Paris, and was re-elected four times in four successive months. He resigned his regentship in 1531, and in 1532 became tutor to Gilbert Kennedy, 3^rd Earl of Cassilis with whom he returned to Scotland early in 1537. Though a layman, he was made Moderator of the General assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1567. He had sat in the assemblies from 1563.

The importance of the work is proved by the persistent efforts of the legislature to suppress it during the century following its publication. It was condemned by and act of parliament in 1584

In the lead-up to the anniversary Professor Roger Mason of the University of St Andrews has published A Dialogue on the Law of Kingship among the Scots, a critical edition and translation of George Buchanan's 'De Iure Regni apud Scotos Dialogus.

Two Different futures

I have a vision of two different futures for Scotland.

One of a Free country. Where we can make our own decisions (!) and offer all a chance in life. Scotland stands for freedom of spirit, creativity, innovations, outward looking and the first place to offer education for all.  

Of the old Celtic ballads that sung of all the peoples Of Burns and Ossian, Allan Ramsay – our heritage runs deep. And Of the great philosophers and thinkers ….

The trouble is there is another Scotland – one of greedy patronage, huge estates, castles – more land here is owned by the TRE (tiny rich elite) than in any other place. Private schools, elitism, snobbery. One that likes to read of Roman Empire or British Empire building and imperialism. That believes in trickle down economics and that some are simply born to manage….. (how about teaching ALL students about business and management skills1?)

We can choose though and look at Nordic models.

This doesn’t mean just tinkering at the edges. It means offering business and management courses to all who study. It means mixed ability groups and with mentoring by the more able.

It means changing the culture from a ‘Them and Us Culture’ to ‘WE are Stronger Working for the Benefit of all. And look at the small nimble countries that are doing we well.

Our country can change and be a beacon of co-operation, integration, equal opportunity - a voice of reconciliation, fairness and a hope for a better future.

The Referendum and the Open Revolution #indref

I met many interesting women and men activists for Scottish independence in 2014. I believe like the Greens, that independence is the only way forward for Scotland to achieve devolved and de-centralised governance - this does not mean rule from London moving to rule to Edinburgh. This means more voices for the Highlands and Islands and for Perthshire - with more local radio and improved local infrastructure. 

The Better Together side knocked on old ladies doors during the referendum campaign and told them that they would loose their pensions and their pound.  The unionists also had nice catchy phrases for those who can't be bothered to read up on the issues. 

1) Pooling and Sharing Recourses - which meant pulling resources into London and giving us pocket money in return.

2) Best of Both Worlds - supposedly meant a prosperous Scotland within a strong UK but actually means a dependent weaker Scotland in a more fragile union.   

3) Solidarity cross borders means solidarity with Osborne's Austerity, the big Banks and Big Business.

A democratic conversation has developed in Scotland in 2014. As the divide between rich and poor has widened greatly the past few decades, it is imperative we have this conversation for democratic change. 

There is much work to do towards land reform, de-centralize government, improve access to quality education (especially in the early years) and to reducing housing rents. 

A younger generation woke up to political engagement and activism and on social media they are not easily fooled by fear campaigns or lies and they are not afraid. They now express their voice on online websites such as The Common Weal, National Collective and Radical Independence Convention.

Unionist may try to claim the referendum was all simply a blip from normality, but they simply miss (or ignore) what the energised movement in 2014 has been and is all about. They claim the debate was bitter and divisive (being 
against change) - while if you are for democracy and a fairer more equal society, then informed energised debate is a huge positive.  Meanwhile those doing quite well thank you, mostly voted against change - no surprise there then.  

Ian Bell (The National 31.12.14) writes, the fear fell away and we saw through the false facades  of unionist claptrap.  Like Bell, and as one who also voted for a Scottish Assembly in 79, I was astonished by the weakness and shameful tactics of the Unionist side. Their slogan of  'No Means No' as the best they could come up with. The case for Britain and the union was meekly shown as a black and white ad for nostalgia for the past war and past glories.

The new generation don't care about that and it does not effect their futures. Bell feels we should say more why Scots would not want to be British. Monuments and looking backwards do not take us forward to a hopeful future. 

The Smith Commission, while set up to establish ‘extensive new powers’ has only offered devolved Income Tax, which cannot easily be varied and therefore effectively meaningless. EVEL (English Votes for English Laws) further weakens the Union, and with the Conservatives hope for SNP successes to weaken Labour in Scotland.

Writing in the Times (28.12.14) Jenny Hjul wonders why Unionists haven't been celebrating their hollow victory - there's a clear reason for this and that is that a campaign waged on fear and lies does not lead to harmonious or happy outcomes. It makes not only a mockery of voters but is also illegal.   

The Yes side campaigned positively for an inclusive, more equal society, both ethically and culturally. it took the moral high ground campaigning against food banks, child poverty and the out dated ‘them and us’ culture.

The nationalists have hijacked the conversation with the yes sides’ positive campaign. Meanwhile Scottish Labour is now a Monument rather than a Movement.

Iain MacWhirter compares 2014 to the Summer of Love in 1967 - when social and political landscapes were changed forever, ' The old order of deference, conformity, convention was swept away by a colourful tide of positivity and sometimes wacky togetherness.'

Scottish Independence is a journey we have taken massive leaps towards. As it becomes clearer and clearer how unworkable devolution is - and with the SNP, Greens and others now holding the narrative, it is only a matter of time on the road to Independence.  

Ten years ago I wondered was devolution enough but not today. Scotland's voice has woken up from centuries of silence and apathy and of believing our voices made no difference - and will not now be easily silenced. Many now realise they can have a voice and can shape their future.