Nicola Sturgeon has admitted that independence would not be a "miracle economic cure" for Scotland.
But the First Minister used her keynote speech at the SNP conference in Aberdeen to insist that breaking away from the UK was now more essential than ever.
Speaking to a packed hall of party members, the party leader said that concerns about the economic impact of independence caused many voters "pause for thought".
She contrasted her government's approach to welfare and immigration to the policies being imposed by Liz Truss and her new Tory government at Westminster. Sturgeon announced a doubling in the bridging payments made available to the least well-off families in Scotland in time for Christmas - but the economy was the dominant subject of her address to the party faithful.
She confirmed a paper detailing the economic advantages of independence would be published next Monday. It comes after the pound tanked on the back of Kwasi Kwarteng's disastrous mini-budget last month.
Sturgeon said: "England, Scotland, Wales, the island of Ireland. We will always be the closest of friends. We will always be family.
"But we can achieve a better relationship - a true partnership of equals – when we win Scotland’s independence. I know that what gives many people most pause for thought on independence is the economy.
"People can see all too clearly now that the UK does not offer economic strength or financial security. And yet still - and rightly - they want to know that independence will make Scotland’s economy stronger not weaker.
"That is fair - and especially now, entirely understandable. Of course, it is equally fair to point out that so much of the uncertainty and crisis we face is not because of independence. It is the opposite. Once again it is because we are not independent."
Turning to the stare of the nation's finances, Sturgeon continued: "Independence is not a miracle economic cure. But let this message ring out today. We can do better than this. We can do so much better than this."
Sturgeon also received a standing ovation after she told party members she intended to remain First Minister "for quite some time yet".
Turning to the Supreme Court hearings which begin tomorrow, she said: "f the Court decides in the way we hope it does, on October 19 next year, there will be an independence referendum. And if the court doesn’t decide that way?
"First, and obviously, we will respect that judgment. We believe in the rule of law. And as a party - and a movement - we will, of course, reflect.
"But fundamentally, it will leave us with a very simple choice. Put our case for independence to the people in an election. Or give up on Scottish democracy. I don’t know about you - actually I suspect I do. But I will never - ever - give up on Scottish democracy."
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