NIALL Ferguson, the Harvard professor and economic historian, predicted independence would trigger recession and a drop in population as he pledged to apply for a US passport in the event of a Yes vote.
Mr Ferguson said the move would be necessary because his country would be "dead".
He made his comments during a lecture at a speech at Glasgow University titled "Kicking the life back into a dying mutual friend: A letter from America".
He told an audience of more than 200: "[If Scotland votes for independence] my first act will be to apply for a US passport. Because my country, Scotland in Great Britain, will have been condemned to death."
He said that independence would lead to a "self-inflicted recession" that would trigger spending cuts and see immigration and Scotland's overall population both fall. "Independence without monetary independence is no independence at all," he said.
"I see Alex Salmond's economic plans as rather reminiscent of the plans that David Murray had for Rangers when he was at that great club."
John McKay from the pro-independence Business for Scotland told Mr Ferguson that he felt "deeply patronised and deeply offended" by his talk.
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