You are forgetting about the whisky, fish and Andy Murray.
Scotland is rich in natural resources.
That is why the English don't want to part with it.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/dat...-other-nations
But everywhere on the planet will have energy from the Sun, wind and tides. My point is that at the moment the Scots can sell oil worldwide and thus make serious money. But when the oil under the Scottish waters has all been used up there will be no opportunity to sell energy produced from the Sun, wind, tides etc. Nearly everywhere worldwide each country will have the appropriate means to be self sufficient in greener energy, rendering Scotland's oil unviable to even bring to the surface. Without oil revenue Scotland will go bankrupt.
You are forgetting about the whisky, fish and Andy Murray.
Scotland is rich in natural resources.
That is why the English don't want to part with it.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/dat...-other-nations
Last edited by howoldboy; 16-02-2023 at 11:33 PM.
Scotland is not unique in being able to produce booze and export it. As for fish 71% of the Earth's surface is water and thus Scotland is not unique in being able to catch fish. These will not produce the same cash and tax income that the sale of oil has thus far done. Scotland cannot become independent based on oil revenue. Independence is forever, oil revenue is for a very limited time because Scotland's oil is finite and the time for oil is diminishing with the steady improvement in green technology for the production of energy.
Scotland's contribution to the UK's economy should not be underestimated.
Oill and gas may not last forever...but..
Despite the negative impact of Brexit, Scottish salmon is still the UK’s largest food export.
https://www.fishfarmermagazine.com/n...t-food-export/
Scotch whisky is still the UK’s biggest drink export, accounting for a fifth of all UK food and drink exports.
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/20...llion-in-2022/
With all of its natural resources, I don't understand why Scotland could not survive as an independent nation if smaller countries such as Norway and Ireland can.
It is not just about what the Scots can produce for themselves. It is about exports. That which has made by far the biggest difference to the Scottish economy is the licensing of oilfields and the taxation on the sale of the oil produced. There is finite oil and nearly all the easy to get at
oil has been brought up. It will be difficult / expensive to get at the remainder and in any event oil is going to be phased out as a source of energy.
This makes Scotland unlikely to be a long term independent successful economy. The time for Scotland to become independent was 50 years ago, for it then to reap the rewards of oil for 50 years and during that time to use such massive amounts of money to create an economy not based upon oil.
This is what the Arab states are doing and what the UK failed to do, but the UK economy will always be a better prospect than an independent Scottish economy.