We were all aware of the recent Scottish independence referendum. Scotland held a vote to see if its citizens wanted to stay with or leave the United Kingdom and become an independent country. The equivalent would be if any one of our states decided to leave the United States and become a country by itself. With the size of some of the states, it always occurred to me that this actually could happen, but I always struggled to find a good reason as to why it should happen.
It’s true that the final outcome was very close but the Scottish people decided that it was better to stay part of the UK with England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. They currently act as one country and will continue to do so. The main driving force for independence was Scottish nationalism from a very proud people (We’ve all seen Braveheart!), but in the end it was seen as a more sensible choice to stay acting as one unit.
The potential rewards are always tempting and justified, but you have to consider if they are ultimately worth the struggle of going alone. The UK already has a good standing in the UN and the EU and is one of America’s closest allies. If Scotland were to become their own country they would have to establish their own relationships. Sometimes it’s better to share the wealth, especially if there is more to go around. Multinational businesses and conglomerates prove this everyday. Focusing on working together is almost always more profitable than a lot of little companies battling for business. It is not a failure to sell if it benefits you more than carrying on as an independent business. Scotland hasn’t failed their national heritage, they’ve made a very wise decision to continue it.
