ebookYes, because this is the year that Scotland votes on the referendum for independence. And the Scottish government, which already leads the nation from a pro-independence position, has published its view of the pros and cons of independence in ebook form, in immense detail, for free.

Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland is a 13.42MB download in EPUB form, and a full 22.98MB in MOBI format for Kindle. (It’s also available for download via the Kindle Store.) As a PDF, it’s 15.9 MB.  It “runs to 564 pages and 170,000 words.” No one can accuse the Scottish government of skimping on information, or of underusing the potential of the ebook medium. And if that’s too much of a load on your bandwidth, you can also read it online.

“This guide sets out the gains of independence for Scotland – whichever party is in government – and this Government’s vision and priorities for action if we are the first government of an independent Scotland,” the book’s introduction explains. ” It also explains the process by which Scotland will become independent following a Yes vote and how our newly independent Scotland will work.”

Whatever your perspective on the merits of independence for Scotland – and chez Mackintosh, it’s a fervent “yes!” – the Scottish government surely deserves full marks for using ebook technology to comprehensively lay its case before the public. And – with typical Scottish cost-consciousness – for saving Scotland’s citizens, and anyone else who takes an interest, from having to shell out £13.25 for the UK print edition.

“On 18 September 2014 you will be asked to vote in a referendum on the question: ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?'” states the book. “The Scottish Government believes you should vote Yes.” Find out why and now how, before a old and proud country rejoins the community of independent nations.

 

1 COMMENT

  1. Important for Scots, certainly, but not for the world at large. The book would be a far more useful book if both sides were included. It’d get more readers too. Who wants to listen to politicians giving only one side of an issue? That’s like a long campaign commercial.

    Those feelings of pride need to be put in perspective. An independent Scotland will have about 5.3 million people, which is about the size of Slovkia or Turkmenistan. The state of Wisconsin has more people. As part of the UK, it’s part of a country of almost 64 million and that’s in a world where the UK’s role is waning.

    If I recall right, this new country will still use the British Pound, which means no independent economic policy. And to avoid being dominated by its much larger neighbor to the south, it’ll have to draw still closer to the EU, ceding still more independence.

    My own background is heavily Welch, but I see as little value in an independent Wales as in an independent Scotland. The politicians might feel more important. Their roles become national rather than regional. But I doubt ordinary people will benefit. They’ll be trying to play the costly role of a country with the limited resources of a large city. And pride can be as much a source of grief as of benefit.

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