What is it about?
The Scottish Home Rule Association (SHRA) was dismissed by contemporaries and has been overlooked by historians. However, by studying its emergence in 1886 and its campaign for a restored Edinburgh parliament we can shed vital new light on Scottish political culture. The Association challenged the dominant perception of Scottish nationalism and engaged in virulent criticism of Westminster and its party system.
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Why is it important?
Published when the debate over the United Kingdom's constitutional future has reached a pitch not seen for 100 years, my article reassesses the history of late 19thC Scottish nationalism. It highlights the frustrations felt at the existing constitutional settlement and the shortcomings of the main Westminster parties. It demonstrates the complexity of national identities and the difficulty of finding a workable settlement for the Home Rule question.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Liberalism, Scottish Nationalism and the Home Rule Crisis, c.1886-93, The English Historical Review, August 2014, Oxford University Press (OUP),
DOI: 10.1093/ehr/ceu209.
You can read the full text:
Resources
A Tale of Two Campaigns
A podcast I recorded for King's College London, comparing the parallels between the 19th century Scottish Home Rule campaign and the modern independence debate.
A Separate Scotland
An article I wrote for History Today on why the Scottish Home Rule Association is crucial to our understanding of the modern independence campaign.
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
