Can Scotland teach China something about autonomy?
Alongside our work on human rights monitoring and reporting on the situation inside Tibet, we at ICT also devote a lot of our time and efforts to advocating the autonomy proposals for Tibetans inherent in the Dalai Lama’s ‘Middle Way Approach’. For that reason, staff pay attention to debates on autonomy in other parts of the world, but this week I had a personal reason to take note of just such a debate taking place back in my home country, Scotland.
This week the Scottish Executive unveiled a White Paper looking at a range of possible changes to Scotland’s constitutional status within the United Kingdom. The current government is formed by the SNP, a party that has consistently campaigned for an independent Scotland and was voted to power promising to bring forward legislation that could pave the way for independence for Scotland from the United Kingdom through a national referendum. The SNP believes that in a Europe dominated by the EU and with numerous small EU countries prospering, Scotland has no need to remain in its union with England.
Scotland formed that union with England in 1707, creating the United Kingdom, or UK. Following the Union, national power was centered in London and the British parliament, Westminster. However, Scotland has kept many of the trappings of an independent country and these have only increased since a range of decision-making powers were devolved back to Scotland following a referendum in 1997 and a new Scottish parliament formed in Edinburgh.
For example, Scots have their own legal and educational system, own flag and national anthem. Scots have their own universities, health system, police force and Scots army regiments serve in the British Army in Afghanistan. We even have our own football and rugby teams competing independently in international competitions (though this has not brought visible advantages!).
Scots are fiercely proud of their independent history and mocking the English is a national pastime, so why is it that most polling data in Scotland show that 70-80% of the Scottish population do not want independence[1]?
The answer to that is complex – some believe Scotland will be financially worse off, others feel that in the midst of an economic crisis the timing for the debate is poor. But many simply don’t feel Scotland needs independence to fulfill its potential, and that speaks to the depth and breadth of the autonomy Scotland has over how it manages itself and how Scots are able to fully express their national identity. The current UK Prime Minister and Finance Minister are both Scots, highlighting that Scots are far from marginalized in British political life.
This leads me to ponder whether any lessons can be learned for Tibet. Chinese officials consistently accuse the Dalai Lama of trying to achieve independence ‘through the back door’, using autonomy as a means to create conditions to seek independence. But the Scottish example shows that if the autonomy granted to a population is real, if the population or group are treated with dignity and respect and are full participants within the greater union, autonomy need not be just a stepping-stone to independence. In fact, an autonomous population may well realize that it has the best of both worlds: the right to be themselves while being a full part of something greater, more influential and prosperous.
This is precisely the Dalai Lama’s argument – that Tibet can gain from being a part of China, but that China must respect what it is to be Tibetan and allow Tibetans the space to explore who they are, where they come from and where they want to go. That is the answer. Not subjugation and forced integration – that way lies resentment and a country not at peace with itself.
As a Scot, I’m proud to have the right to question whether Scotland should implement a different form of government, but as a British citizen I’m equally thankful that we can have that discussion openly and without the slightest hint of the fear and intimidation Tibetans face daily.
[1] Although polling also shows that many Scots wish to see their autonomy extended into new areas such as giving the Scottish Executive full control over how it raises and spends Scottish revenues.
Photo Caption: The Dalai Lama visits the Scottish Parliament in 2004.
One Response to “Can Scotland teach China something about autonomy?”
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Well said and I do agree and appreciate your comparison, however, it seems that China isn’t really interested in Tibetan social culture as much as economics – through controls of the natural resources (namely water) and trade routes of Tibet. Now China is hedging into Nepal. Good thing India’s an independently strong Nation.