Québec and Scotland’s Sovereignty Referendums

A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This paper examines and compares the sovereignty referendums held in Quebec in 1995 and Scotland in 2014. Both referendums could be considered unsuccessful, as they yielded majorities to remain within Canada and the United Kingdom respectively. I identify the explanatory variables for each result as well as provide a brief discussion on the impact of identity within each nation. I argue that Quebec voters opted to remain as a result of the unresolved status of the Quebec-Canada relationship in the event the referendum yielded a clear mandate to separate. I proceed to argue that in Scotland, the value placed on membership within the European Union was sufficient to persuade Scottish voters to remain in the United Kingdom in order to retain this membership.