The 2014 Scottish #IndyRef: How Failure is Still Progress for Scottish Nationalism

In September of 2014, Scots voted in a referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom. Though the unionist vote won by a slim margin, the campaign had become much closer than expected. In a last-minute effort to maintain the union, the British government promised further devolution of power, what they called "devo-max," to Scotland if they voted to stay a part of the union. In this thesis, I analyze the development of the Scottish nationalist movement and the progress of the 2014 independence referendum to draw conclusions about what economic and cultural factors affected Scottish support for independence. Then, I explore how the results of the referendum--the promised plan for "devo max"--will likely affect the British state, especially with respect to the development of federalism. Finally, I will look toward the future of Scottish nationalism and identify how broad shifts in political attitudes and values might affect progress of the Scottish nationalist movement going forward.