PAT Kane’s article (The philosophy of politics highlights the dilemmas of nationalist identity, August 11) is an interesting take on the different motives that can lie behind the desire for Scottish independence, but surely the dilemma is not quite as melodramatic as he believes, and it is possible, indeed necessary, to be an “existential” and “pragmatic” nationalist.

Nothing is certain in this life; an independent Scotland would be sure to get some things right and some things wrong; there would be good times and bad times; we may not rapidly become a template for progressive politics the world over – but we would be free.

Chris McEleny’s point is simply that a nation has an inalienable right to run its own affairs and to be free to make its own mistakes.

Pat, would you deny any other nation’s right to exist as a sovereign state if you didn’t approve of its policies? If the answer is “no”, then why would you deny it to your own? The solution surely, is simply this: help us achieve independence and then campaign, as all of us are free to do in a democracy, to convince others of the rightness of your political vision.

Jim Daly
Edinburgh

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