Small Nations in a Big World: What Scotland can Learn

by Michael Keating, Malcolm Harvey

Small northern European states have been a major point of reference in the Scottish independence debate. For nationalists, they have been an 'arc of prosperity' while in the aftermath of the financial crash, unionists lampooned the 'arc of insolvency'. Both characterisations are equally misleading. Small states can do well in the global market place, but they face the world in very different ways. Some accept market logic and take the 'low road' of low wages, low taxes and light regulation, with a correspondingly low level of public services. Others take the 'high road' of social investment, which entails a larger public sector and higher taxes. Such a strategy requires innovative government, flexibility and social partnership. Keating and Harvey compare the experience of the Nordic and Baltic states and Ireland, which have taken very different roads and ask what lessons can be learnt for Scotland. They conclude that success is possible but that hard choices would need to be taken. Neither side in the independence debate has faced these choices squarely.

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2014

About the author

Michael Keating is a political scientist specialising in nationalism, European politics, regional politics, and devolution. He is Professor of Scottish Politics at the University of Aberdeen and the Director of the Centre on Constitutional Change.

Reviews

[Brian Mcleish · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are familiar with the literature there is nothing essentially new here but it is an excellent canter through the main arguments over how a small (European) nation can be succesful and stable. It is also extremely well written and easy to follow.

['Izzat Radzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, brief comparison to other economic policy, should scotland become independent