Voting for Nation or State: Determinants of Independence Support in Scotland & Catalonia

Abstract

With the Scottish independence referendum rapidly approaching and Catalonia witnessing ever bolder demonstrations of support for independence, understanding the determinants of public support for independence is crucial. In this article, I develop class, partisanship, and identity-based theories to explain individual-level support. Using surveys from Scotland and Catalonia, I test these theories. In doing so, I evaluate whether the same factors explain support in these two different regions. In addition, I consider the implications for the independence movements in these regions and beyond.

Keywords: Independence, UK, Spain, identity