THE SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM, AS TOLD BY AN AMERICAN TOURIST

This summer, I had the privilege of traveling the United Kingdom before, during, and after the Scottish Referendum, where Scotland would decide its fate with the United Kingdom; would they stay, or would they go? A few circumstances made this event especially fascinating, especially coming from a different country:

1.  It was the first election open to Scottish voters that included citizens aged 16 and 17, because effectively, they were voting on the future of their country. You also had to be a Scottish citizen to vote.
2. The "Yes" campaign, supporting Scottish independence, and the "No" campaign, supporting Scotland's continuity with the UK, had very different approaches to seeking voters, including over millions in donations by celebrities and common people alike. It was additionally one of the most highly social media synced campaigns in British history, if not world history. 
3. Regardless of the outcome, this would open doors for Scotland in terms of regional politics and freedom- which, in turn, would likely be followed by Wales and possibly Northern Ireland. 

You couldn't escape it; every night it was on the news, talk shows, comedy shows. Even Sky News had a sense of humor with their megamix of politicians on the topic, featuring Prime Minister David Cameron and leading MP for the movement, Alex Salmond.

And likewise, everywhere we traveled, we asked and found that people had varying opinions. An English couple we talked to from Cheltenham on a train said it would be a huge mistake, citing the debts of the Scottish Bank, the EU's reluctance to accept Scotland without reapplication, and the economic impact overall. On the other hand, friends we talked to in Wales said overwhelmingly, why not? It would pave the way for change, which was exciting for the youth in a country so deeply rooted in tradition. Given the history of oppression and forced assimilation from the English on its neighboring countries, this movement gave the opportunity to voice freedom on behalf of Scotland and its culture. 

Infographic by the Daily Scot

As I watched several of my friends change their profile pictures to feature a blue "Yes" stamp as the election approached, it reminded me of the vibrance and excitement connected to Obama's 2008 campaign with youth culture, in particular with its association to social media. Politics aside, the campaign was well-designed, modern, and (for lack of a better word) "hip," and so it created a unique audience for itself and encouraged younger voters across the country to vote. Getting more people to vote is always a challenge, which I can easily say while going to a university where only about 15-20% of our 20,000+ student body votes in our school elections. On the other hand, the opposition party "Better Together" had a more conservative appeal, with a logo that resembled maybe something you'd see for a credit card company or health care provider. 

Arguments for Scotland remaining 

What made the Scottish Referendum particularly interesting was that this wasn't about electing a person into power. The only fathomable comparison I could draw for the United States would be if the entire south voted to become separate (which could be beneficial in its own way? I digress!) What surprised me the most was that this movement had become a leading topic in politics. Often from the US we look to Great Britain and see a country that seems old-fashioned and locked in tradition with its monarchy and all that. But can you imagine such a movement ever coming into discussion in our elections? And can you imagine a single issue in which there is an almost 70% voter turnout? According to George Mason University's "United States Elections Project", we haven't had that great of a turnout in our presidential elections in over a hundred years. In our general elections, we usually fall beneath 60% voter turnout. 

In the end, 55.3% of Scottish voters chose no, and 44.7% of voters chose yes. You can argue all day about the implausibility of Scotland breaking free, but you can't ignore how close those elections became. In ten years, if there's another election, what will be the result? Will this set precedent for Wales? If it's a success, will other nations follow suit?

From an outside perspective, it was a fascinating event to observe. Even coming from the United States, I've never seen people so passionate about voting. Additionally, I've never been so interested another country's elections. It's not often you get to go on vacation and witness history.