There is maths behind games of chance. If you look at a very simple game with ten players who all start with $100. They all have equal chances of winning and they all play each other. Expectations are that if you play for long enough we will end up in exactly the same position because there is no bias.
That's not how it works. However you work it, ultimately there will be one winner with all the money.
Anyone who plays Monopoly, Catan or any other strategy game knows that you reach a certain critical mass and then you become unassailable.
This is a mathematical certainty. To those that have, more will come. Totally unfair but without intervention to create a bias that is what will happen.
Do not be mis-guided. The UK has been very successful, but don't let anyone ever tell you that this was because we had especially smart leadership. There is a multitude of different factors that have contributed; geography, being an island, position of coal and iron ore reserves close to ports, immigration, temperate climate, yadda yadda yadda.
If you look at what our leadership has contributed it has been pretty much war, conflict and persecution of minorities.
So what's my point?
Currently we are all part of the 7th largest economy on the board. We have a seat with the big boys. Ultimately the bigger economies will prosper faster than the smaller ones.
I've lost count of the times of the number of times I've been told that Scotland could be another Norway or a Denmark. I'm neither convinced that is either possible or even a good thing. There are massive cultural difference between modern Scotland and our Scandinavian friends. I've been a company director in both countries, know them extremely well, great people but don't imagine that Scots are the same. We are not. But, question, how often do you hear about Norway or Denmark's involvement in global affairs?
Why does it make any sense for Scotland to break away from the 7th largest economy to become the 45th? 55th? It does not matter how smart you think you might be, you are not going to make up the ground. This cannot possibly be the best option for our children. As the big economies pull away in the game the Uk will struggle not to be eaten by the sharks as the 7th largest predator, it will be impossible as a minnow.
I refer to earlier posts but we do have other options. Scotland is uniquely placed in the UK to make substantial and significant changes to the position of power within the UK. But we need leadership that is has a little more ambition and is able to think a little more medium and long term.