There is nothing tired about the contemporary "nation state" (The nation state is a tired concept, Letters, May 17).
It is intensely dynamic with the question of sovereignty or rather shared sovereignties dominating political discourse.
How much sovereignty is David Cameron willing to devolve to Brussels or Edinburgh while retaining the UK as a nation state? This debate is at the very heart of contemporary politics.
The nation state that is the mighty USA is as we speak going through angry national deliberations on the question of proposed trade deals with both the Pacific rim countries and Europe. Any trade dealings or associated multilateral agreements immediately impact on the nature and shape of the nation state.
Scotland is seeking sovereignty expressed through the democratic enlightenment of the modern nation state. This political process offers new hope for Scotland within the shared sovereignty of inter-dependent nations of the EU, the Commonwealth and the UN.
TM Cross
Carluke
Maxine Frith's article points to some alarming reactions to the General Election result (Voices from the shires of England, News, May 10). Our vote in the 2014 referendum, was often referred to by interviewees. During the referendum campaign, all the Westminster party leaders were appealing to us to stay in the Union. I may be simple-minded, but does the election result not make a resounding acknowledgement that we are part of this "union" and in fact we really wish to be a significant part of it? Indeed, Scotland's voice will now be heard, hopefully more clearly. However, Scotland's voice will also be heard on behalf of ordinary people all over the UK who have suffered the dire effects of the austerity cuts under the Coalition Government, as well as that of all fair-minded people who judge the austerity cuts to be totally unjust. Somehow a way must be found to stop such an abuse of power.
The people of this country of the United Kingdom are the most valuable asset we have for the progress and prosperity of the country as a whole. Austerity does not contribute to the common good, nor to the progress and prosperity of the population.
In the so-called mother of all parliaments, the Tory politicians should be hanging their heads in shame.
Sylvia McColl
Clydebank
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