The SNP’s Growth Commission has generated a lot of debate about what an independent Scotland might look like.

Debate is welcome, as the Growth Commission’s report itself left a lot to be desired. Thankfully, independence isn’t simply what the SNP say it is.

Rather than offer a true break with the broken and self-defeating Tory politics of austerity, the Growth Commission have chosen instead to tinker around the edges.

Their proposals would massively restrict spending on public services in Scotland in order to chase abstract economic goals. The report is obsessed with ‘GDP growth’ and restrictions on public spending to hit debt targets set by no-one other than the report’s authors.

When was the last time you read the news about GDP having grown 1.8 per cent, or that the deficit has been reduced, and thought to yourself “great, my circumstances have really improved, this will really help my bank balance at the end of the month”?

Traditional economists may pretend GDP can indicate the wellbeing of the country, but in reality they bear little resemblance to people’s lives. The UK has actually seen living standards fall despite GDP growth.

To make matters worse, the SNP’s Growth Commission proposes a ‘fiscal framework’ that restricts spending increases to below GDP growth. That would see spending on essential services like schools and hospitals shackled and would undermine our ability to tackle poverty.

It is little surprise that the SNP’s Growth Commission has produced such disappointing proposals. They did not involve a single representative from trade unions, nor did they even seek to engage with trade unions throughout their work - though they did ask the Institute of Directors and others to contribute.

The Scottish Greens have been clear about what investment our economy and society actually needs. Our Jobs in Scotland’s New Economy report sets out Scotland’s massive potential for renewable energy and other sustainable sectors. This could create over 200,000 jobs across Scotland, which would be largely well-paid and secure.

We also need to promote real collective decision making, where workers are actively involved in running companies and can ensure that their interests are promoted. The government must also be free to ensure public spending supports redistribution of wealth and tackling poverty.

The foundations of Scotland’s economy must be inclusion and investment in real industries, not chasing abstract measures of GDP and state debt, which mean almost nothing to your life or mine.