The Role Of The Economic Arguments In Determining The Outcome Of The Scottish Referendum (2014)

Abstract

In 2014, the issue of Scottish referendum shook the British establishment to its roots. Those wanting independence argued passionately for the benefits of divorce from the United Kingdom, and their vision stood in stark contrast to those who outlined the terrible costs of independence. As a majority of Scottish voters chose to remain part of the United Kingdom, it seemed that the Scottish nationalists made errors of judgement. In that decision, economic arguments were back to the fore. Therefore, this article looks exclusively at the economic calculations behind the referendum results and tries to explain how some economic factors played a decisive role in choosing “no” for a majority of Scottish voters.