Participative Sovereignty: The European Union and Scottish Independence, or ‘Independence in Europe’

Abstract

There have been politically organised expressions for an independent Scottish state which predate the European Union institutionalisation process. The process of European political integration, however, has had a significant impact upon the argument for Scottish independence in which 'Independence in Europe' has become the mainstream of political thought concerning Scottish Independence. The sovereignty which is therefore envisioned for Scotland has shifted considerably from the traditional concept in which, it was assumed at least, central government had absolute autonomy within its mutually recognised territory. Traditional sovereignty seems all but a meaningless anachronism for most, with limited sovereignty, or multi-levels of sovereignty, being the current paradigm with which to understand the world of states. All the while, processes in the European Union would seem to further distance modern European statehood from such traditional ideas as member states participate with a unique degree of external influences. It is the issue of participation with European Union processes, it would seem, that has had the greatest political effect on the concept of Scottish independence and, therefore, 'Independence in Europe', to be understood fully, must be understood as