A Scottish Vote for Freedom

Scottish voters head to the polls Thursday to answer a simple question that will trigger very complicated effects: Should Scotland be an independent country?
If a majority votes yes, the nation – which has been under British rule since 1707 – will separate from the United Kingdom countries of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Scottish government refers to the referendum as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” because only one vote for independence was guaranteed by the 2012 Edinburgh Agreement, to take place by the end of 2014. That agreement was signed by British Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish officials and assured Scotland the ability to hold a referendum on its future.
While the “No” campaign was leading by a wide margin into September, a YouGov poll released Sept. 7 saw the “Yes” campaign take the majority for the first time, with 51 percent of Scottish voters saying they’d cast a ballot in favor of independence. But YouGov’s poll this week put the “No” campaign back ahead, forecasting it as the likely outcome.
Supporters of independence – led by the Scottish National Party and First Minister Alex Salmond, its most powerful voice – want autonomy in their domestic affairs. The party says leaving the United Kingdom will give Scotland full control over its economy, as well as things like social and energy policies.