Independence will allow Scotland to build a "prosperous economy and a just society", the First Minister has declared in his speech to the SNP spring conference.
Alex Salmond said much had been achieved north of the border since the advent of devolution, but much more could be done with the powers that full independence would bring.
Mr Salmond said: "With the partial independence the Scottish Parliament has in health, education, justice, business support and social services, we have achieved much - and with the full measure of independence we get by voting Yes, we will achieve much more for Scotland."
The First Minister was addressing the Scottish National Party spring conference in Inverness.
The event came just two days after he said that voters in Scotland would decide the country's future in an independence referendum to be held on September 18, 2014.
Nationalists are using the gathering to set out their arguments for leaving the UK, with SNP leader Mr Salmond stating: "Conference will set out the 'why of independence' to the people - what won't happen in an independent Scotland will be getting dragged into illegal wars, having Trident nuclear weapons dumped on the Clyde for another 50 years, or the imposition of bedroom taxes.
"And what will happen will be the mobilisation of the human and natural resources of Scotland to build a prosperous economy and just society."
Mr Salmond said that in the six years the SNP has been in power in Scotland it had "taken trust in the Scottish Government to a high of 71% - four times more than trust in Westminster".
The First Minister used his conference speech on Saturday afternoon to argue Scotland would be better off economically if the country was independent.
He also sought to contrast policies north of the border with those in England, highlighting the provision of free personal care for the elderly, the increase in police numbers since the SNP came to power and the abolition of university tuition fees for Scottish students.
Independence could also see Scottish parents benefit from a European style system of childcare with a far greater level of public subsidy, the First Minister said.
Mr Salmond said a "transformational shift" in this area should be one of the first acts of an independent Scotland.
While the Scottish Government has already promised 600 free hours of nursery education a year for three and four-year-olds, the SNP leader said only a limited amount could be achieved under devolution.
"We don't have the financial freedom to give us the biggest bang for our buck, to invest in areas where Scotland could make huge social and economic strides," he said
"So let us consider what more we could achieve in an independent Scotland."
Mr Salmond also used his address to hit out at changes to housing benefit which will impact on those with spare rooms.
The under-occupancy charge, which has been dubbed the 'bedroom tax', will see council and housing association tenants have their housing benefit cut from the start of April if they have extra bedrooms.
"This is an iniquitous, unfair, anti-family imposition conceived because of runaway rent levels in the south," the First Minister said.
"Why should people who would impose such iniquity have any power and authority over the Scottish people?"
The First Minister went on: "To listen to the No campaign, they'd have you believe that a new generation of Trident nuclear weapons on the Clyde was a fantastic asset - and having generations of oil and gas revenues to come was a big problem.
"But the people aren't daft, they know that Scottish energy resources are the asset, Trident is the problem and Westminster is the liability."
The First Minister described the referendum as being "Scotland's date with destiny" adding: "September 18 2014 is the day when everyone of us will be asked to take the future of our country into our hands."
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Source: http://news.stv.tv/politics/218734-alex-salmond-outlines-independence-vision-at-snp-conference/
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