Editorial: A nod to democracy done right

The question of whether Scotland should remain a part of the United Kingdom or go it alone as an independent nation is a bit too far afield to warrant the judgment of a suburban Chicago newspaper. But the process by which the people directly affected answered it bears reflection anywhere in the world, especially here in Illinois as we enter the thick of our election season.

The Scottish referendum was a demonstration of democracy at its best, as perhaps few elections are, and ought to humble those who may be thinking of sitting out the upcoming Nov. 4 general elections in which we'll select a governor, a U.S. senator, U.S. congressional representatives, several state officers and various county leaders,

Nearly 85 percent of eligible voters turned out at the polls in Scotland on Thursday, a figure that will likely more than double the turnout both statewide and nationwide in our general election.

Prior to the vote, the campaign from both sides was intense and often emotional, each forcefully arguing the merits of its position and the faults of the opposition. But even so, there remained demonstrations of the nature of a peaceful, democratic society. Countless commenters on Twitter reflected, often with humorous irony, on the counterintuitive nature of a revolution for independence that required not the firing of a single shot or the loss of a single drop of blood but merely the appearance of the people involved to show up at a ballot box and be willing to respect the decision of their countrymen and women.

After the vote, the rhetoric from both sides was strident but conciliatory. Alex Salmond, a leader of the forces pushing for independence, declared, "Let us not dwell on the distance we have fallen short, let us dwell on the distance we have traveled."

Queen Elizabeth II, who had been on the verge of losing a quarter of the countries making up her monarchy, emphasized that "despite the range of views that have been expressed, we have in common an enduring love of Scotland, which is one of the things that helps to unite us all."

Not all the reactions were hugs and hand holding, of course. Salmond, among others, promised to continue to press the case of increased autonomy for Scotland, and leaders of the pro-union camp emphasized much remains to be done, in Scotland as elsewhere in the UK, to assure prosperity and freedom for all British subjects.

Indeed, in a further show of the power of democracy, the winning forces spent much of the aftermath of this vote not gloating over their victory but promising change that will benefit those who opposed them.

Democracy is not always a pretty process. Often, as we in Illinois know all too well, it is downright ugly. But in their campaigns, their participation at the polls and the reaction to the outcome, the Scottish people and British leaders have provided a fine example of how compelling this form of government can be when it's done right.