Scotland After Britain: The Two Souls of Scottish Independence

Conservative forces have dominated the Scottish independence debate since the referendum, advocating for a break from the failing British state and the prison of free trade and militarism. Scotland After Britain argues for fidelity to the true meaning of independence, including addressing income, wealth, and power injustices by restoring agency to working class communities and voters. The book highlights the pro-independence politics since Brexit and the pandemic, but the SNP continues governing as if the disenchantment never happened, and the party leadership is ambivalent about the risks of demanding independence. Brexit could force the movement to engage in a reckoning with the true stakes of independence, which may require a breach with the SNP's establishment vision.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 02 August 2022
Publisher: Verso Books

Since the referendum, conservative forces have gained a significant foothold in the debate surrounding Scottish independence. Scotland After Britain, a publication advocating for fidelity to the true meaning of independence, argues that it should encompass not only a break from the failing British state but also a departure from the constraints of free trade and militarism that have led to successive crises. Moreover, independence must genuinely address the profound injustices of income, wealth, and power that continue to shape Scottish society by empowering working-class communities and voters.

Since Brexit and the pandemic, the Scottish national question has emerged as the most significant division within the British state. The independence movement arose from widespread public dissatisfaction with the status quo, yet the SNP continues governing as if that disenchantment never occurred, and the party leadership appears increasingly ambivalent about the risks associated with demanding independence. Most notably, the British state remains steadfast in its opposition to allowing a second referendum, while the SNP leadership has shown reluctance to pursue protest beyond the confines of the ballot box.

In this context, Scotland After Britain contends that Brexit could compel the independence movement to engage in a profound reckoning with the true stakes of independence. This process, inevitably, will necessitate a departure from the SNP's establishment vision. It is time for the movement to confront the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and to chart a course that aligns with the aspirations of the Scottish people for a more democratic, sustainable, and inclusive future.

Dimension: 210 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788735810