Scotland: A Unionist History

For more than three centuries, Scotland's relationship with England and the wider United Kingdom has shaped its prosperity, politics and national identity. Yet that history is increasingly presented as an inevitable journey towards independence.In Scotland: A Unionist History, historian Alan Sked challenges that interpretation. Drawing upon centuries of political, economic and military history, he argues that the Union of 1707 did not diminish Scotland but provided the stability, opportunity and access to markets that helped it become an intellectual, commercial and industrial powerhouse.Beginning with the myths surrounding early Anglo-Scottish relations, Sked examines the Auld Alliance, the creation of the Union, Scotland's contribution to the British Empire, and the sacrifices made by Scots during two world wars. He then traces the growth of the Scottish National Party, the establishment of devolution, the independence referendum, Brexit and the conclusion of Nicola Sturgeon's leadership.A series of case studies also revisits controversial episodes in Scotland's past, including Scottish involvement in slavery, attitudes towards imperialism, connections with Nazism, the 1820 Radical Rising and the historical figure behind Shakespeare's Macbeth.Provocative, detailed and unapologetically unionist, this book offers an alternative to nationalist accounts of Scottish history. It asks readers on every side of the constitutional debate to reconsider what the Union has meant for Scotland-and what may be lost if it comes to an end.