Blurred vision

How often do “Don’t know” referendum voters ask for more facts to enable them to make up their minds?

Sweden, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria and the Netherlands are all similar in size to Scotland, and are near the top of world rankings for prosperity and a desirable lifestyle.

These facts point to one even bigger fact, that small countries tend to do very well. There is no reason why Scotland should not do just as well or better since we have a wealth of natural resources (oil, gas, coal, hydro, wind, wave, tidal power, fishing grounds, deep-water ports and good agricultural land) in excess of all except perhaps one of these other countries.

With all these advantages an independent Scotland could hardly fail. Therefore the Yes/No question is one of two competing visions.

Do we wish to become a small, successful, independent state free to develop our own way of life and find our own way in the family of nations?

Or would we rather continue as a small appendage of a once glorious, but now declining, world power “punching above its weight” in hopeless wars like Afghanistan in the role of assistant world policeman, while at home constructing one of the most unequal societies in the world?

Yes, the transition to independence may or may not be a bumpy ride, but most of the obsessively discussed questions such as the currency to be used, membership of Nato and the EU, are short-term problems to be settled by negotiation within a few years.

The real question is what is your vision for the future a hundred or more years ahead?

John Slee

Hopetoun Terrace

Gullane