每日破土 從今天開始將由不同的成員發表對時事的評論及意見,不只提供資訊,更提供他們從個人角度出發的思考,歡迎大家踴躍追蹤與分享。

Daily Bloom is now featuring members of New Bloom commenting the news everyday. Not only provide information, we also want to provide the thoughts from our own perspective. Please like or share if you like it.

【在帝國之下,民主自決運動的里程碑。】

在十九號的早晨,蘇格蘭獨立公投的決議以55%-45%之差,維持與大英帝國為一個國家的現狀。即使許多支持蘇獨的民眾為此結果感到失望,但此次蘇獨公投確實為寄附在帝國中的小國民主自決運動,寫下一個漂亮的先例–高達85%的投票率,無論正反雙方都支持滿十六歲即可投票的年輕人政治參與,和藉由獨立公投而更加公開透明化的英國政經問題討論,都應該被看做是歷史上民主審議制度實踐更前進的一步。

即使大英帝國的版圖維持現狀,但在歷史定位上,這曾經佔領過全球快一半領土的帝國的地位已經瓦解。隸屬英國的北愛爾蘭,以及威爾士,也開始在推動擴張地方政府自治權力的修憲運動。另外,美國歐巴馬政府和中國政府對蘇獨的反對,也代表了這世界版圖上的兩大強權擔心蘇獨運動對於各地獨立運動將帶來的啓發和鼓舞。此次蘇獨公投,開啓了超越國家民族主義,和平民主的自決獨立運動想像的開始。

In the morning of September 19th, the final results of the Scottish independence referendum were 55%-45% in favor of staying as one nation with the United Kingdom. Many proponents of Scottish independence may be disappointed by the results, but this movement has marked significant historical successes for a democratic movement of national self-determination within an empire–the unprecedented turnout of the 85% of votes, the support for young people’s political participation from both sides (16 years and beyond can vote), and the more transparent, and public debates on the social and political issues within the UK through the referendum. These are all the legacy that this movement has left that should not be negated simply because of the results.

While the geopolitical boundary of the UK temporarily remains intact, the legacy of the British Empire that had once occupied almost half of the globe is surely dissolving rapidly. The Scottish independence referendum has indeed pushed Northern Ireland and Wales the talks around constitutional reforms for more local government autonomy. Furthermore, the objection of Obama’s administration and the China’s official against Scottish independence showed how these two of the most powerful nations in the world currently, are worried about how the movement may insight and encourage the independence movements across the globe. The Scottish independence movement is the beginning of a kind of democratic, peaceful self-determination movement that is beyond the archaic ethno-nationalism.

Wen Liu is a doctoral candidate in social psychology at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She is also a freelance writer on sexuality and politics in the US and Asia.

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