Yes, it’s still happening. Despite the voluminous data to the contrary this argument is still made by Britnats and believed by many. The following is the proposition as it appeared below the line to a Feb 2014 Guardian article and Christian Wright’s rebuttal.

“Sam Alner: cant see anything good in being divided when we need to be strong and face the challenges of the next few centuries… the world’s a brutal place to the small.”

Tell that to Norway, there is a hundred thousand pound nest egg in their oil fund for each and every citizen. Oh, did you know Norway is perennially at the top or next to the top for most desirable place to live? A typical example is the United Nations UNDP Index at the end of this post.

Now after you’ve perused it, I have a little test for you.

Which country is NOT on the list? Yes, that’s right, it is the very union you are touting to Scots.

How many of the top three in the list have a population smaller than that of Scotland? Answer 2 of the 3

How many of the top five in the list have a population smaller than that of Scotland? Answer 3 of the 5

How many of the top ten in the list have a population under ten million?Answer is 5.

How many of the top twenty in the list have a population smaller than that of Scotland? Answer 9 of the 20

That’s right, nearly HALF of the top twenty best places to live according to the UN have a population smaller than that of Scotland.

How many of the top twenty in the list have a population under ten million?Answer 11

The United Kingdom you claim to be a safe harbour for little Scotland cannot even get into the top twenty, yet nine of the top twenty who did get on the list, have populations smaller than Scotland’s.

Besides Norway, which tops the entire list, which is the only other small nation not on the list in this show and tell, that has significant oil and gas reserves? Answer is Scotland.

Now, doesn’t the above blow your thesis right out of the water?

1. Norway
2. Australia
3. Iceland
4. Canada
5. Ireland
6. Netherlands
7. Sweden
8. France
9. Switzerland
10. Japan
11. Luxembourg
12. Finland
13. United States
14. Austria
15. Spain
16. Denmark
17. Belgium
18. Italy
19. Liechtenstein
20. New Zealand

Source The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) index published 2009

[These data were published 2009 and the inclusion of Iceland at that time does seem anomalous, but there it is]

 

addendum

Some more recent data follows.

Now Britnats say that small is bad and make the argument that Scotland would have been devastated by the financial meltdown of 2008 because Salmond (it always Salmond, not the Scottish Government or the electorate that does things and wants things) would have been as feckless or more feckless than the incompetent Mr Brown and Mr Darling (you know, the genius whose heading the bitter together campaign).

But OK, let’s look at two basket cases that mirror Scotland’s imaginary fate had it been independent in 2008. Below is the UNHDI with updated data for 2012. Note the positions of Iceland and Ireland.

Both have dropped down that table (a bit) but both are still well in the top twenty. Remember these are the very latest data I could find for 2012.

These too wee, too poor, too stupid, nations are doing rather well. Note also that the only other EU country matching Scotland’s resources, Norway, is still top of the heap.

Alright, so where is that most successful union in the history of the planet we should all be grateful to be part of? You know, the one that’s keeping indolent Scots in Buckfast and fried Mars Bars? The one Cameron was waxing lyrical about just the other day?

Well, it’s down in 26th place, which is a five point drop relative to its position in the table referenced in the original post.

You see, it’s all very well for Cameron to boast of Britain’s wonderful GDP, but if more and more of that wealth is going into the pockets of the few, the reality for the rest of us is a decline in personal wealth, a commensurate decline in living standards, and an ever declining in the quality of life.

Britons, most of us, are getting royally shafted and no matter how far we bend over, with this lot as our masters, it’s never going to be far enough.

Given that reality, is it any wonder that more and more English men and woman are saying they would go with Scotland if only they could.

This Union serves one region well and every other of it regions poorly. Why on earth then, would Scotland want to be a part of it?

Look at the data, they tell a different story from that of project fear. Look what the Union’s doing to you. The Camerons’ and Osbornes’ of this world are laughing at you as you defend the indefensible.

Wake up, England!

For us come March 24 2016, it’s so long and thanks for all the fish, but you’re stuck with it, and it’s you who will have to change it. Can you? Hell yeah. But will you?

 

1 Steady Norway
2 Steady Australia
3 Increase (1) United States
4 Decrease (1) Netherlands
5 Increase (3) Germany
6 Decrease (1) New Zealand
7 Decrease (2) Ireland
7 Increase (3) Sweden
9 Increase (2) Switzerland
10 Increase (2) Japan
11 Decrease (5) Canada
12 Increase (3) South Korea
13 Steady Hong Kong
13 Steady Iceland
15 Increase (1) Denmark
16 Increase (1) Israel
17 Increase (1) Belgium
18 Increase (1) Austria
18 Increase (8) Singapore
20 Steady France

Source The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) index data published 2013