A Christmas Gift from the year 2044

Hi Bods,

My name is Jeane, I’m 16 and live in “Newglas”. I’ve been asked to do a project on the history of Scotland over the years since independence by my home-school “Av” (how boring). I have to include all the “big events” that formed Scotland into what it is today.

Oh well, here goes…

1. Independence was declared on 16/03/16 by a bloke called Alex Salmond. That was quickly followed by a recognition of Scotland as an independent nation by all the main countries in the world after a tense negotiation struggle with the government in London.
2. Scotland entered its independence having the oil revenues but not a lot else. Initially it was hoped that Scotland would enter into a “Sterling zone” with Rukland, but as Labour (that is the name of the ruling party) refused to accept that, Alex Salmond produced the plan for use of the Scottish Pound in isolation which quickly got accepted around the world and which we use today. It was converted into a completely omni-cloud based currency in 2018 and that’s what we and several other countries use today.
3. The rest of the United Kingdom was thrown into economic turmoil shortly after independence and there was much rioting in England at the time due to rampant, runaway inflation leading to most prices of food and energy quadrupling overnight. Westminster was surrounded for three days by over two million people and the MP’s weren’t allowed to leave. Many people from other parts of Rukland tried to gain entry to Scotland to avoid the circumstances that were fast becoming grim. The Scottish Defence Force was in it’s early stages and even so, with the help of volunteers managed to help the poor people that found their way to our doorstep. The plan quickly formed at the time saw families accommodated in and around the major cities in Scotland in temporary refugee camps and a major project of housebuilding in all areas of Scotland was financed by the IMF after being approached by the Scottish Government.  Grampian City sprang into existence almost overnight and became a beautiful modern example of how things can be done with many of the Scottish Architects offering their services for free in an effort to expedite things. Finally in London, the army were called in and they formed the Junta in co-operation with the Labour Party that we see today. There haven’t been any more riots or protests since that day but the people in Rukland seem happy enough or so we’re told. It was reported that there was going to be another election some time around 2020 but that didn’t happen.
4. Scotland received aid for the refugees from every developed nation in the world and was congratulated and commended by the OECD in 2022 for “Services to Humanity”. Alex Salmond retired that same year feeling that his “job was done” and was honoured in both Edin and Newglas by the provision of a “Holo-Met” (a moving holographic statue) in the centre of both cities that spoke words from his main speeches when he was arguing for independence.
5. “Glasgow” as it was called at the time saw a major Police raid on the council buildings shortly after independence and many of the council heads and councillors each went through a protracted court case before being sent to prison. I wont go into detail here but it seemed to dominate the media and especially “SBC Omnicloud” at the time. Glasgow was renamed “Newglas” and the transformation in to the glittering place we see now was quickly set up. Many areas of the city were demolished and Newglas became a collective of integrated, well run communities where the people that lived there could thrive.
6. The Renewable boom that took place after independence was responsible for the re-industrialisation of Scotland with many companies setting up around Scotland’s shores in an effort to capitalise on tidal energy. Many other companies were set up after that to embrace “Muon Particle” energy and Edin University opened a department to research this new (at the time) energy source. Now we have a completely renewable based society where there is a massive amount of energy at very low prices for everyone but I understand that wasn’t the case before independence.
7. In 2028 it was agreed to slow down extraction of oil from Scottish waters with many workers already having left the industry to join with the “Renewables” industry. The new parliament at the time didn’t need the oil for energy or revenues any more and decided to simply allow a smaller production quota for plastics and other “hydrocarbonous” materials. However, “Sylf” is now a much more adaptable material which is a by-product of the Muon-Particle generators in 2044. Material from “thin air” as it was described at the time of its discovery ten years ago. Scotland now produces 60% of all Sylf in the world today. We wear Sylf and our transport system and our homes are largely built from it.
8. In 2031, the NHS was broken up into smaller units and with the technology at the local surgeries, all health procedures were carried out either in the home or at worse in the local surgery. Most procedures had become automated and replacement “grown” human parts were produced in a few days at Scotland’s major human part production centre at Newglas called “Stembuild”. We now have many people that are fit and active well into 100 and beyond. One of my own great grandfathers is 105 years old and he still goes snowboarding during the week.

So, there it ends Av, There was a bit of upheaval in the decade following independence but the message that comes across is that it was the most liberating of times that Scotland has ever known with her people pulling together to make things better than they had ever been. We now live in a small, rich, normal, independent European nation and for a 16 year old it’s boring. All I have to look forward to is that I’m starting University in Newglas in the new year and I’ll have a new Omnicore to play with. I do hope the new “Av’s” are better looking than the dusty old one that teaches me now. Sorry Av, just thinking out loud..

It certainly can’t get worse, can it?

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This little piece of “Sci-fi” was put together to show one possible outcome and of course there are many possible outcomes. I could have gone into much greater detail but the main thing is that if you think about it, all the possible “positive” outcomes only happen as a result of Scottish independence. No one has a crystal ball though and even if someone might say with authority that they believe particular things will happen with Holyrood and with Westminster, they don’t and can’t really know, however, it is a given that any good outcomes that Scotland may have, all begin with the total repatriation of our political and economic powers, so let’s make that happen.

Kindest regards,

David Milligan Lvss

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