A funny thing happened to me on my way to the bar in a central Edinburgh pub last week.
I passed three different groups of people who were discussing the independence Referendum. They were each doing so in a calm and thoughtful manner - a bit of a contrast to the "Ya -boo" approach adopted by some of our politicians and activists - and, even in the passing, it was clear the topic was being considered seriously.
It was a little unusual, and I wondered if perhaps there had been a meeting nearby, or if these folk had some connection to one of the campaigns.
However, it happened again the next day, in a café in one of Edinburgh's leafier suburbs, where folk at the next table were in an animated discussion, and again the following day when two folk at a bus stop were discussing taxes and the euro zone.
When the poll was then issued which suggested a momentum towards a 'Yes" vote, it struck me that perhaps there is a development in the debate; perhaps, as the 'Yes" side suggest, when people actually start to discuss the implications of independence, rather than spectate as political types throw insults at each other, they find it easier to support the idea and to move on from "Don't know" or "Need more information".
This would match the current suggestion that 'ordinary voters' are becoming disenchanted by 'scare stories', especially as more and more of them are being de-bunked by neutral sources. Those outwith the political bubble resent being taken for granted or patronized, and this may be the trigger to more involvement and more discussion on the streets.
If this is the case, it could be that, quite apart from the result, whichever way it goes, the biggest gain for Scotland from the whole debate will be a reconnection of the voter with the political process.
Disenchantment with 'politics' and politicians, evident in increasingly low turnouts at elections, stems from the voters' belief that they have little influence over the decisions made by politicians. This, naturally, is exacerbated in a Scottish context, when, with around 10% of the UK population, there are decisions taken which favour the UK as a whole but not Scotland, and when a Scottish majority for one party can lead to a Westminster government of a different hue.
Among the founding principles of the Scottish Parliament were more accessibility, more accountability and more input from the voter. Despite the weekly embarrassments of Thursday's First Minister's Questions, many, from all parties, have tried to uphold those principles. One reason for a 'Yes' vote in September would be to see a continuation of such improvements and a strengthening of the connection between voter and politician. People of all political views and none tend to agree that the Holyrood model, though with improvement still needed, is far more voter friendly than the arcane and archaic processes of Westminster.
In the context of the Referendum, it might be reasonable to consider the words of Martin Luther King: "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
Time to reflect and discuss. Time to make informed decisions.
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