Scotland — can we learn?

Democracy is alive and in robust good health in the United Kingdom (UK). The people of Scotland have voted not to dissolve a union that has lasted more than 300 years and will remain a part of the UK. Opinion polls had put the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ camps neck-and-neck, but the final result gave the ‘No’ campaign 55 per cent of the vote at 2,001,926; and the ‘Yes’ campaign 45 per cent and 1,617,989 votes. The turnout was very high at 84.6 per cent, and it may fairly be said that the majority of the people of Scotland have had their say. The mainstream parties in the UK now have to make good on the promises of additional devolved powers to Scotland if they are not to lose yet more credibility. The referendum was outside the political sphere in that it was not a vote along party lines, but it is going to define the political landscape for a generation to come.

According to reports both the campaign and the ballot were closely watched by representatives of the Quebec and Catalan separatist movements, and Kashmiris. That the referendum was held at all was a political risk for the sitting UK government, and had it gone in favour of the ‘Yes’ campaign the consequences would have been profound and felt geopolitically. Sighs of relief have been breathed in a number of places, not least the US and the countries of the EU. Now the dust has to settle and a polarised Scotland will work out what the result will mean in practical terms. As an exercise in inclusive democratic consultation the Scottish Referendum of 2014 has set the benchmark.

Strategic tiffs and territorial battles mark many other regions of the world and the Scottish Referendum has proved that disagreements can be resolved with peace and grace, and that nationalistic sentiments need not be rowdy. Can we in Pakistan perhaps learn something from the way this was done? We have issues — such as more provinces — which could be put to a referendum. Of course, the most obvious would be the maturity shown by all sides with the loser, the pro-independence camp, readily and graciously excepting defeat. Time will tell.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2014.

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