[marron]

another advantage of smaller nations is that they tend to be more ethnically and culturally homogeneous, a thing that is the more quickly threatened for all that by ill-informed immigration policy.

Two important points in one. They can quickly commit suicide by ill-considered immigration policy. Independence doesn't mean much if they are still ruled by non-scots.

A dynamic economy will usually need to allow fairly free movement of people and money. But they must be clear with themselves that they are a small country and opening themselves to people who will never assimilate culturally defeats the very purpose of independence.

[SunkenCiv]

/bingo

That’s exactly what the separation is supposed to accomplish.