Since the inception of Salvo and Liberation we have been plagued with opponents saying how could the people be sovereign in the 21st Century? They said it can’t be done, the “best” that can be done is for the people to handover all that power to the elected politicians.
Well I have news for you, not only can it be done but it is being done in one of the most prosperous and successful countries in Europe. Listen as Henry Ferguson discusses how the Swiss system ensures that it is the Swiss people who determine what laws are passed and how they can overturn any unpopular or rogue piece of legislation at anytime,including changing their constitution through a referendum. Henry knows what he is talking about, when you hear his background and experience at the beginning of the interview please recognise that Salvo/ Liberation are engaging internationally with those experts who can guide and support us to be successful. We said we would build an international platform to move Scotland forward. This is just the start. Exciting times ahead! Henry has joined the Steering Committee of the Scottish National Congress where his knowledge and experience will be of great value to Scotland.
BEAT THE CENSORS
Sadly some websites seek to censor what their readers have access to read. This is particularly true of sites whose existence is primarily to support the views of one particular party and they seek to block articles which do not slavishly support that particular doctrine. My readers have worked out that the best way to defeat that attack on the freedom of speech and thought is to share my articles widely, thus defeating any attempt at censorship. My thanks for this.
SALVO AND LIBERATION
Are playing a crucial role in taking Independence forward. This site limits donations to Yours for Scotland to a maximum of £3. We do not need more as all we seek to do is to cover the costs incurred in running the blog therefore once this is secured each year all further donations are forwarded to Salvo and Liberation. My thanks for all who choose to support us in this way. It is appreciated.
YOURS FOR SCOTLAND 
Watched that last night, very encouraging.
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There’s a lot to learn from Switzerland. Subscribe to Swissinfo.ch and get a weekly update on how its democracy works in practice.
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How interesting and informative. Would certainly sort out the central belt conundrum, redistribution of power to the people rather than concentration in power centres. Those oldies among us who live in ancient Scottish Burghs (and not so ancient too) look back with nostalgia to when councillors and provosts were directly accountable to the people in a way they can’t possibly be now when nine times out of ten you have no idea who your councillors are or would recognise them in the street. And, when local accountability and local domicile meant they had the added incentive of trying to improve where they actually lived for their families benefit too.
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More and more coming to the idea that a smallish 2nd Chamber is a necessity for Scottish Parliament to help curb insane and highly unpopular legislation. GRR and changes to trial laws spring to mind. Composition of 2nd chamber is difficulty. Something like elected representatives from professions, unions, trades with co-opted experts (and I really do mean experts in their field) all serving short term ideally around a year so not to discourage participation and to lessen political interference and lobbying of members.
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Would it be possible to have something like the Swiss Cantons assembly in Scotland as a second chamber but with representatives from the regions Though not necessarily the same as those that select the list votes. We need to be able to stop the Central belt, which has a majority of MSPs from being able to push through policies not appropriate elsewhere and with no knowledge of local conditions in the more remote areas. I think we will need a differnet electoral system once we areindependent, though that needs discussion.
We need a way of representing properly the Highlands and Island and the Borders particularly, as mentioned in the vidoe discussion about this and a majority vote of from the regions needed to pass legislation. I certainly agree that we need much more local democracy. A lot to consider in this.
I am very envious of the Swiss but it gives us an idea of what a democratic Independent Scotland could look like
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“please recognise that Salvo/ Liberation are engaging internationally with those experts who can guide and support us to be successful. ”
I’ll watch the video later. However the above sentence is key! And any political party that claims to be pro independence should be doing the same. International guidance is key because a) it gives us perspective from the best minds b) they will be aware of the key individuals in foreign government and its apparatus that we need to have onside for Scotland’s independence to be accepted by others, if not London.
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That viable alternatives exist to the broken, democratically-primitive status-quo that was foisted upon us without any semblance of consultation, can’t be doubted. Sincere thanks to Leah, Henry, Pete at Indy-Scot News, and everyone else responsible for this production. More soon, please.
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Reblogged this on Ramblings of a now 60+ Female.
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I clicked the YouTube on the video to watch on YouTube and it stated the page was blocked.
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Click the red play button in the centre. It should play without any problem, lots of people have done so successfully
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Thank you Ian, I knew about the red button, am a FHD kind of guy so I manage to watch it on FHD and I like to add these videos to my favorites to watch again later. I enjoyed watching the difference between UKP and Switzerland model, they have two elected houses and the regions have all got autonomy and the people hold all the power.
Thanks for posting this. I was just wondering if the link from the video was being blocked deliberately by Youtube that’s the only reason i mentioned it.
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I Think it’s good but not good enough. I find interesting you are ignoring a platform that delivers direct democracy, seems this is more about yer old pals network than actually helping the grassroots.
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What is being ignored and by whom. Your post does not make this clear?
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The People’s Assembly platform.
By every activist in Salvo because they don’t like the designer I guess, it can’t be the proposal, because it proposes a real vision for independence by combining elements of the Swiss, Norway and Estonian model’s. You can read my blogs about it.
Maybe it’s the community owned part they don’t like?
Or maybe they don’t really want to prove a majority or call for a independence convention?
Or maybe they just don’t want people to have their own voice?
I honestly can’t think of genuine reason why they would ignore it?
I do know it’s being noted that they are doing so by many people.
See the assembly is designed to let all groups work together, but it seem no group wants to do that, what was it Geo said?
Ahh, “Ego’s want to be heroes”
#Fact the indy movement has the opportunity to build something that has real chance at making a difference in multiple way’s, but because some don’t understand the technology they dismiss it all and call the designer a crazy trouble maker.
Maybe they don’t like one of the plebs being smarter than them.
Or maybe they’re just not grassroots to begin with?
Again I’m just asking questions because the position strikes me as a wee tad cultist.
Oh talking about facts?
Where is the reference found to “The McAlpin Code”
Just in all my reading on the subject I’ve never came across this reference.
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Polishedlotus – people’s assembly? blog? You had an opportunity to get the message out and you, pardon the phrasing, blew it. The link in your username to albafest.scot sends me to a page with the message ” This Account has been suspended.” Searches reveal nothing.
I would have though that your idea has merit – but as the Swiss sometimes opine, too much democracy is exhausting – that’s what the delegates are for.
One area which dovetails nicely with the video is that lamenting on the sorry state of the politicians we have is a waste of time. Rather than return to turn sows’ ears into silk purses a bottom up approach might be better, where the people lay out what they want and then we’ll see whether there are people who still step forward and deliver it.
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I had a fair idea about how things operated in Switzerland, but I’ve just learned a hell of a lot more now.
What a great interview, and to think that had things gone differently in 2014 we could have been well on the way to emulating the Swiss with direct democracy.
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Please tell others about the video. Spread the knowledge.
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That’s a fine array of Merch for sale on the Salvo.scot ebay shop!
I see that that the store location is: Kirkcaldy, United Kingdom
Is there any physical shop or location where one might go see and buy stuff?
🙂
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I think it’s all online but I stand to be corrected. They do have goods at the major meetings.
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May I humbly suggest that Salvo get some better photos. Yes, I know this is arm-chair criticism but you’d get a better idea of how they look with a human wearing them.
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Excellent. This model suggests that lobbying and corruption cannot influence the government nor those pushing proposals as the government don’t have the final say, and that gives the people a fair and honest process and hence better results. Power to the people!
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Imagine having that much democracy! Wow! We wouldn’t know what to do with it all! LOL! But we Scots are quick learners! We would soon let the various ‘govts’ know what we wanted – and what we didn’t!
This, I believe, is a system we could aspire to! So let’s get Indy done & get this in place! THANK YOU, Henry & Leah, for this very informative video! And thank you SALVO for doing what you are doing & giving us a route map to a better country!
Thank you, Iain, for putting these blog pieces out. So much we have to learn about our history, our route to Indy etc and your blog page makes it possible to show us the way. 🙂
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Really good explanation and critique, thanks to Henry & Leah. For a bit more reading here’s a basic explanation of the Swiss parliament from Swissinfo.ch – mentioned by Graeme earlier – follow the link.https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/the-swiss-parliament-for-beginners/48536400?utm_campaign=politics_en&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=o&utm_term=automatic
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I’m more convinced by the kind of system that prevailed in ancient Athens for a time, or at least its main principles: citizens’ assemblies chosen by sortition. Brett Hennig has discussed it fully in his book “The End of Politicians – Time for a Real Democracy”.
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Very inspiring and a boon to the movement to have someone with Henry’s knowledge and acumen on board. I remember studying Rousseau and direct democracy at university and although that was in pre-internet days, the lecturer did mention the potential for direct democracy with emerging technology. If only we could use technology benevolently, then theoretically we could do away with politicians altogether and have the populace themselves voting directly on policy and legislation at the push of a button! I do, however, think that the Swiss model is well-balanced with the people themselves having the ultimate power of veto.
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I very much agree with Katielass, and second her thanks to Iain, Salvo, Leah and Henry and all who have contributed to this information.
I am feeling more hopeful and encouraged than for a long time as we now can see a way forward to independence (Sara and Salvo), some great ideas for an Independent Scotland (Leah and Henry) that would be truly democratic, and able to prevent the power takeovers as we currently suffer from in both Scotland and the wider UK, plus a good reminder from Breeks of how easily things can go wrong when the people are not in control of what happens in their own areas and shows how much we need these powers to prevent our country being despoiled and our economy and fragile communities blighted.
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