Instead, the parade of political scientists continues, helpfully informing us that, for example, the United States once had a civil war. (Over cultural differences, if you like.) And Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum comes up, which is interesting. Baig’s article emphasizes that Alberta premier Danielle Smith has been negotiating with separatists and trying to create an open opportunity for them to pass or fail a democratic test, although she is not an avowed separatist herself. This, too, is deemed unusual — but, of course, Scotland’s IndyRef was allowed to take place with the permission of the U.K.’s prime minister of the day, David Cameron, a pro-Union Conservative of Scottish descent.