Democratic Separatism: Mostly Sore Losers

 I have been too busy with my current work on civ-mil to go back to the archives of my head, when I studied separatism.  But with the Albertan separation vote losing badly, it is time to go back to my old stuff.  There is a lot of political theory about when separatism is legitimate (see Allen Buchanan's stuff for a start), but my starting point is if the separatism is about being sore losers in an otherwise stable democracy, then the separatist effort has little legitimacy.

What precisely is the core grievance of the Albertan separatists?  Parties closest to them have mostly dominated Alberta, but haven't governed Canada since 2015.  The extreme federalism of Canada means that Albertans can largely govern themselves, that the feds can't really tell them how to run their health care system, their education system, etc.  And oil politics means that Alberta has a lot of power in Canada.  So, again, what is precisely the problem?

We can talk about misinformation/disinformation and how COVID broke people's brains, but the basic reality is that Albertans are secure in their rights.  The feds are not trying to abridge Albertans' rights, and now they have the most conservative  Liberal prime minister in recent history.  The Albertans are largely getting their way, including the end of climate change taxes and very pro-pipeline moves by Carney.  But they are, to use an online phrase, butthurt because the closest party to them keeps losing in national elections.  Whose fault is that?  Mostly the Conservative Party of Canada for agreeing to be led by the most punchable bad faith, Ted Cruz-esque actor who keeps trying to stake stances that make him the Trump of Canada.  So, their animus should be pointed at Poilievre, the CPC leader.

Instead, those voting for separatism are sore losers.  The fundamental definitional dynamic in democracy is accepting losing, figuring out how one can do better, and trying again.  The GOP in the US has completely lost the plot on this so they seek to game elections via voterfraudfraud.  There is much less support for Quebec separatism because they got damn everything they wanted at the bargaining table, and their biggest grievances wouldn't change with separation since the US will still be an English giant next door.  

The big question now is will the losers of the referendum realize that their cause is not popular and seek change through the political system or will they try to stir up shit via more referenda.  I hope for the former but would bet on the latter.

Anyhow, it is a good day to watch sore losers lose again.