Scotland’s sad state of statism

We’ve covered many of the individual controversies before — including police crackdowns on the singing of sectarian songs, and the introduction of named government functionaries charged with looking after the interests of every single child (not just, e.g., orphans or those whose custody is contested). And some of the endless nanny statism: Prices of alcohol are too low! The public’s eating habits must improve! And all of Scotland is to be smokefree by 2034, with the legal fate of those who might wish to continue smoking not yet specified. Brendan O’Neill in Reason pulls the whole depressing thing together. Scotland also has not only thousands of CCTV surveillance cameras but also “camera vans,” which “drive through towns filming the allegedly suspect populace.” And did we forget the warnings from Police Scotland about unlawful speech on social media?

One Comment

  • Perhaps a contest to re-write the lyrics of the unofficial national anthem, Scotland The Brave, is in order. Its words are aggressive and martial in character. Something more in line with the new, improved, and softer Scotland could begin:

    I’m just a wee laddie
    Who likes wearing me Mam’s underclothes
    Nothing starts my heart a stiring,
    like the feel of silken lacey hose.