Originally Posted by
Jackonicko
In 2014 45% of Scots who voted, voted for independence. ........
More drifting ...
It's an awkward question but what is meant by Scots?
There are no accepted legal definitions of what is or is not 'Scots'. I know there is a difference between 'Scotch Beef' and 'Scottish Beef' but as for the people well ...
There was such a long and difficult legal battle to get the wording right for the Indi Ref of 2014. As there was no authoritative answer the fudge was proposed 'The People of Scotland' which was taken to be anyone, regardless of place of origin who was residing within the legal boundaries of the territorial lands of Scotland on a given date. It also excluded any person born within those boundaries who was living elsewhere.
It stems from there being NO Scottish people as a race. They/we are tribal by nature (Clans) - the latest of which is Polish - there are distinct religious divides (ever been to Glasgow?).
There is a clear 'us and them' when it comes to the 'central corridor' and anywhere else. Highlands and Islands are culturally different to Borderers and so the mix goes on - each with a locally defined sense of identity.
I may be wrong but my understanding is that the Scottish clans have never, ever, united for anything in their history. They/we will however at the drop of a bonnet unite against anything overtly English (1966 and Thatcher immediately spring to mind).
It may be simple when viewed from outside to think of Scots as being simply 'of Scotland' ... it's not, the people of Scotland are not united.