The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Dream a little dream

Posted on November 29, 2011 by

In these brutal economic times, you could be forgiven for easing the pain with the occasional drift into fantasy. Britain is broke, and even after five years of the most savage austerity cuts since World War 2 the Chancellor of the Exchequer admits the books still won't be balanced.

But imagine, just for a moment, that we inhabited some sort of magical fairytale universe. Instead of a bankrupt neo-liberal service economy run for the benefit of obscenely overpaid bankers and hedge fund managers, imagine if Scots could live in a country of five million people with a social-democratic outlook and vast oil wealth which was used for the benefit of the entire population rather than just a tiny elite.

It's a ridiculous, impossible idea, of course. This is the real world, and reality isn't like that. But once in a while, just to cheer yourself up enough to keep grimly soldiering on through the hideous years to come, it's nice to dream.

Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.


  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,975 Posts, 1,250,460 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Man up, Northy! Don’t let sam intimidate and cow you into agreement and obedience. Stand tall! Besides, even if he…Sep 6, 19:40
    • Northcode on Anything But That: “Interesting… TURABDIN is chasing symbols: UN intervention external validation geopolitical rescue fatalistic narratives AgentX is describing strategy: democratic legitimacy internal…Sep 6, 19:16
    • Northcode on Anything But That: ““Northcode, I have always enjoyed your posts.” As do I yours.Sep 6, 19:13
    • Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “Well, well. I predicted there would be a few things you wouldn’t want to talk about, sam. And my prediction…Sep 6, 19:12
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “It is Mr Beggan to you. You dont decide anything about this page. Threats of violence Sam is the squeak…Sep 6, 19:04
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Who would have thought a perfume salesman would change German history. It is the end of the…Sep 6, 18:51
    • sam on Anything But That: “Usually I scroll past much of what is btl comment regarding it as shite. A good deal of that shite…Sep 6, 18:49
    • Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “Missing person appeal! Will the real Northcode come forward please, his account here has clearly been hacked and it appears…Sep 6, 18:36
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Salmond new how difficult the task to unite Scotland internally would be. Everybody was on board on the anti English…Sep 6, 18:23
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Well said Northy. Better late than never, about Ten years late, but none the less. Seriously! That is something that…Sep 6, 18:12
    • Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “NC Stopped reading at “the UK constitution is recognised by the UK Supreme Court”. Kind of says it all really..Sep 6, 18:02
    • TURABDIN on Anything But That: “Strategy and a preternatural understanding of the opponent. WOW….if only.Sep 6, 17:59
    • factchecker on Anything But That: “Just repeating this because it’s the best summary I’ve seen in years. Well done, Northy. “Independence requires maturity, realism, and…Sep 6, 17:09
    • Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “sam likes to present ideas as evidence and conjecture as fact. He never quotes any source until he’s satisfied its…Sep 6, 16:52
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “” That is the opinion at least of the European Journal of International Law.” Who cares? You still do not…Sep 6, 16:49
    • TURABDIN on Anything But That: “IN THE IDEALIST’S UNIVERSE MAYBE. In the messy actuality any minority within a larger state cannot rely on the principle…Sep 6, 16:47
    • Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “I don’t know how you’re doing this, Northy, and I don’t care that much. Just stop reading my mind.Sep 6, 16:35
    • Hatey McHateface on Anything But That: “The starship to Alpha Centauri left without him. The next one’s not due for 500 years. So he has no…Sep 6, 16:27
    • Northcode on Anything But That: ““I think your final paragraph needs to be amended…” No – it doesn’t. Read it again.Sep 6, 16:03
    • Northcode on Anything But That: “I support Scottish independence, but I’ve grown weary of the flawed rhetoric deployed in its name. When a movement clings…Sep 6, 15:50
    • sam on Anything But That: “I think your final paragraph needs to be amended. Scottish people need to be able to hold a referendum at…Sep 6, 15:46
    • Northcode on Anything But That: ““The UK Constitution…A bit of a myth that, point me to the stirring single document…” I’m not sure of the…Sep 6, 15:44
    • Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “B Top ten in spending on military eh? I wonder how much of that is spent on the money-pit “nuclear…Sep 6, 15:31
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “The UN is the record keeper of war. They list the conflicts in the world, keep records, take statements, give…Sep 6, 15:17
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Amen.Sep 6, 15:06
    • Young Lochinvar on Anything But That: “NC The UK Constitution.. A bit of a myth that, point me to the stirring single document will you? I’d…Sep 6, 14:59
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Any relation to Darius the Great? “subjugated Thrace and forced Macedon to become a fully subordinate client kingdom within the…Sep 6, 14:59
    • agentx on Anything But That: “Ultimately, while pro-independence groups look to the UN Charter as an overarching moral and political justification for independence, the UN’s…Sep 6, 14:11
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “Shut up and eat your Lembas bread. You pointy eared trouble maker.Sep 6, 14:00
    • Mark Beggan on Anything But That: “I thought it would be obvious. He has the woke disease. The symptoms can be quite easy to spot; Constant…Sep 6, 13:57
  • A tall tale



↑ Top