On the 18th of September 2014, Scottish voters have rejected political independence by a margin of 55,3% against 44,7%. Yet during more than 16 weeks, two
opposing campaigns - Yes Scotland versus Better Together - have strived to convince Scotland that political independence versus keeping the Union was the best
choice for Scotland’s future. Filled with many unexpected moments, the campaign was intense, vibrant and almost breathtaking. The purpose of this article is
to deliver a coherent and consistent account of the Scottish campaigns in order to
make sense of the “no” vote. In this article, we will proceed in four moments: first,
we will put the referendum in context; second, we will highlight major aspects
of the campaigns; third, we will bring the political process up to date and will
clarify the terms of the agreement reached under the Smith Process. Finally, in
the last part, we will summarize the lessons to learn from the political outcome
of the referendum
