After the referendum
The Scottish referendum debate drew in thousands of people who had not been previously involved in political argument and activity. Public meetings attracted capacity crowds. Political discussion became a mass activity. When passions run high, as they did in the referendum debate, there will inevitably be excesses. Activists on both sides were equally guilty of such excesses. And, in the end, they were peripheral to the big political debate. But some toxic divisiveness in the Yes campaign was inherent in its political project. Whereas the workers’ movement seeks to bring together people of...