The royals have the land but the scottish ship of sovereignty is coming in! Image: James Walters

This week’s Scottish independence referendum is a challenge over the sovereign ownership of resources. Who should profit from nature’s endowment? At present barely 500 privileged families own half of the nation. Is this why the powers that be do not want independence?

A fairer tax system, with Land Value Tax as the centrepiece, would be a recipe for economic activity. The North Sea oil and gas shelf could be providing royalties to all Scottish as the Norwegians enjoy. To hear of 100 UK MP’s descending on Edinburgh raises eyebrows. What is the big deal over a simple democratic independence?

Andy Wightman is a leading Scottish Georgist with a vibrant website. He writes in Why I am Voting Yes:

On 18 September voters in Scotland will choose whether Scotland remains part of the United Kingdom or becomes an independent country. I am approaching this choice from the perspective of how best to democratise political and economic power and for me, the past 40 years of British politics and the recent financial crisis informs this choice. During this period the UK has undergone a massive transformation in the architecture of political and economic power.

As James Meek argues in his new book, Private Island. Why Britain now belongs to someone else, in a little over a generation the bones and sinews of the British economy – rail, energy, water, postal services, municipal housing – have been sold to remote, unaccountable private owners.

Andy featured in this key BBC documentary on Who Owns Scotland?

Every nation has the capability of financing one’s economy, especially in light of the Global Financial Crisis and London’s subservience to the financial sector. Will the people vote for their own self-determination?