We The People – A Prototype Scottish Constitution Project

Wednesday, 12 February 2014 11:52

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By Mark McNaught
 
With the international participation of scholars and specialists, we at Newsnet Scotland are undertaking an ambitions project to develop a written constitution underpinning a modern independent Scotland worthy of its people.
 
Scotland’s Future calls for a constitutional convention after independence in 2016 to draft a written constitution.  In the meantime, this does not prevent citizens and people throughout the world with good ideas from crowd-sourcing a solid, well thought out constitution worthy of ratification.

For the moment, it is a thought exercise; seeking to give Scots a vision of how the political system could work, how a non-corrupt plutocrat-free government could be constructed, what rights can be constitutionally guaranteed, as well as what citizen obligations pertain.

This Prototype Scottish Constitution has been adapted after a series of conferences, incorporating the ideas presented, followed by review and comments by lawyers, specialists, and clever people from numerous walks of life.

This prototype is based heavily on Elliot Bulmer’s Model Constitution for an Independent Scotland of 2013, which in turn was based on Neil MacCormick’s Constitution for a Free Scotland of 2002.  This text was derived from A Draft Constitution for an Independent Scotland proposed by the Scottish Provisional Constituent Assembly in 1964.

While we have no control over whether or how the Scottish government will use the document we produce, we have been and will continue to seek input from all political parties, advocacy groups, and people of good will to construct a political system that is durable, adaptable, and fair to all Scots well into the future.

At the very least, this prototype will show what an independent Scottish political system could look like.  At most, if we are able to obtain sufficiently broad support and engagement in this project, it could be ratified by majority vote in a referendum on Independence Day, March 2016.  We could be painting the picture of what Scotland’s constitutional future will look like.

For the time being, we are releasing the prototype in its current form, on which any person may leave comments and suggestions.  Depending on the quantity and quality of the feedback, we will refine the section to facilitate further development of the constitution.  This is unprecedented, so we have to take it one step at a time.

Together, let’s see what we can produce.  Why not the most progressive and egalitarian constitution in existence?

We look forward to your assistance.  Please click HERE to view the provisional draft and join the project.