[fappenhosen]

Don't think that'll work. Many governments, one interest rate? Haven't we seen that before?

[Ghost Spaghetti]

the pounds

So far, the UK's stance on that was a loud "AHAHAHAHA, NO.", so I doubt they'll get that.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/10731657/Talk-of-independent-Scotland-keeping-the-pound-is-nonsense-and-totally-wrong.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-26166794

They will. The bank of England won't let them leave. If you control the money supply, you control the nation. In fact, it can't be independence without independence from the Bank of England.

They can't really make them stop. If they wanted to, they could use the US dollar or the Russian Ruble.

[Pete Svarrior]

They can't really make them stop. If they wanted to, they could use the US dollar or the Russian Ruble.

Well, they had better run to their local TSB branch to exchange their possibly-soon-to-be-worthless RBS notes before it's too late, then.

Using another country's currency without that country's express consent and co-operation isn't that easy, unless you're small and insignificant enough not to require a steady supply of said currency.

[Thork]

They can't really make them stop. If they wanted to, they could use the US dollar or the Russian Ruble.

Well, they had better run to their local TSB branch to exchange their possibly-soon-to-be-worthless RBS notes before it's too late, then.

Using another country's currency without that country's express consent and co-operation isn't that easy, unless you're small and insignificant enough not to require a steady supply of said currency.

You can peg your own currency to another one, but you are still completely at the mercy of their economic policies. You aren't independent.

[The Terror]

They could have their own currency, the long lost Scottish unicorns!

[fappenhosen]

Using another country's currency without that country's express consent and co-operation isn't that easy, unless you're small and insignificant enough not to require a steady supply of said currency.

You also get a currency valued at the distance from its native home. The further north you are the more expensive things will cost.

[Ghost Spaghetti]

They can't really make them stop. If they wanted to, they could use the US dollar or the Russian Ruble.

Well, they had better run to their local TSB branch to exchange their possibly-soon-to-be-worthless RBS notes before it's too late, then.

Using another country's currency without that country's express consent and co-operation isn't that easy, unless you're small and insignificant enough not to require a steady supply of said currency.

You can peg your own currency to another one, but you are still completely at the mercy of their economic policies. You aren't independent.

Scotland won't be 'independent' regardless of how they vote.

[rooster]

It's a start. God forbid, they make their own currency at some point in the future.

[Pete Svarrior]

It's a start. God forbid, they make their own currency at some point in the future.

You don't get it, do you? It's not a start because they have no practical way of robbing England of enough notes to maintain a healthy circulation. That's precisely why they need their own currency from the get-go, and for that they need a sustainable economy.

[The Terror]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/27/scottish-independence-scotland

Scotland are the 14th richest country in the economic bloc, seems like a sound basis for economic independence.

[rooster]

Everything I've read sounds like they have a stable economy.

[Yaakov ben Avraham]

Well, being that strange creation, an English Jew in the American Midwest, I am a dedicated Unionist as far as the United Kingdom goes. Breaking up the Kingdom just seems like a thoroughly stupid thing to do. Then again, I thought Devolution was a bad idea back when John Major was so against it.

It turns out I was right then, and I expect I'd be right now. Devolution brought about this insane desire for independence. The United Kingdom went from ruling appr. 1/3 of the world's surface and 1/4 of the world's population to now possibly ceasing to exist. Going from one country to two countries would simply result in the weakening of both. And who in their right mind would want to align themselves any closer to the EU then the UK already is? If anything, the UK should be trying to exit the EU, not get further into bed with it!

Well, for what it's worth, that is my own opinion, at any rate. Granted, I'm not Scottish. But still, Scotland can have much more influence in the world as part of the UK than as an independent, insignificant state. I don't mean to be nasty, either. For those who disagree with me, I certainly respect your right to do that. I guess that is what this vote is all about.

[Pete Svarrior]

Scotland are the 14th richest country in the economic bloc, seems like a sound basis for economic independence.

Everything I've read sounds like they have a stable economy.

Yes, because they're not independent, and because they're using the Pound Sterling. That would be all fantastic if we were not discussing Scottish independence; but we are.

http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21606869-independent-scotland-would-be-rich-country-terrible-prospects-costly-solitude
http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21590592-new-report-finances-north-border-headache-nationalists-scotch-rocks
http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21596935-battle-scotland-has-come-turn-dispute-over-currencywhich-unionists-are

This is the exact same argument that Texas is making now and then. Just because Texas/Scotland is doing well in the union which helps it out doesn't mean it can suddenly break off and expect anything other than an economic crisis (or, in Texas's case, probably a war).

[The Terror]

 I'd guess that there would probably be a lot of immigration into Scotland from other parts of the UK or Ireland, which would boost the Scottish economy and help to balance out the workers/old people ratio. I think there's an element of risk, but it's not like Scotland it's going to turn into a third world country.

As for political influence, it doesn't translate into improved quality of life for the general population. At the height of the British Empire most of the British population lived in poverty.

[Pete Svarrior]

I'd guess that there would probably be a lot of immigration into Scotland from other parts of the UK or Ireland

Why would there be more immigration into Scotland than there already is? I wouldn't wish that to my worst enemies. They already have an unemployment problem, much like the rest of the UK.

[fappenhosen]

I'd guess that there would probably be a lot of immigration into Scotland from other parts of the UK or Ireland

Unlikely. I can't see a sudden economic boom springing out of nowhere. They probably have all the people they need to maintain north sea oil production, which, lets face it, is the countries one cash cow.

[The Terror]

They would need to set up the infrastructure and civil service to support an independent country.

[Rushy]

They should use Bitcoin as their currency.

[Thork]

They should use Bitcoin as their currency.

What do you do when you need a £1 coin for a shopping trolley or a locker in a gym? How do you lend a mate a fiver on a night out? How do you make a wish in a fountain or give change to your favourite busker? You are a monster.

[Rushy]

What do you do when you need a £1 coin for a shopping trolley or a locker in a gym? How do you lend a mate a fiver on a night out? How do you make a wish in a fountain or give change to your favourite busker? You are a monster.

Scotland can create a central authority that buys up bitcoins and then issues shares of them in the form of paper currency or they could even create their own version of bitcoin. ScottieCoin or something.