Page 53 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Scotland

THE HIST OR Y OF SC O TLAND  51

Smith and the “Bard of in 1970, around the time that
Humanity”, Robert Burns. North Sea oil wealth became
In the 19th century, a factor in the Scottish
Scotland’s architecture economy and increased
led the way in Europe, confidence in its ability to
as epitomized by the stand alone. In 1997, a large
development of Edin burgh’s majority of Scots voted for
New Town (see pp70–71). the 1999 re-establishment
This bold plan to create a of a Scottish Parliament with
residential centre away from a devolved authority over
the congested Old Town health, education and local
was begun in 1770, and the government, but incomplete
design was greatly expanded tax-raising powers. The SNP
in 1822 to produce a model A North Sea oil rig, providing prosperity has ruled here since 2007, and
of ele gance that is outstanding in the late 20th century put a referendum for Scottish
to this day. Among those who indepen dence on the agenda
have occupied these classic Georgian for 2014. This was rejected, but by a margin
houses was Sir Walter Scott, one of the so narrow that it seemed unlikely to be the
world’s earliest best-selling novelists. end of the matter. This was confirmed in
In this same period, known as the Scottish 2015 when the SNP won 56 of 59 available
Enlightenment, Thomas Telford excelled in seats (although nearly half were lost again in
engineering and, ever increasingly, Scots 2017’s snap election), and calls for indepen-
were finding fame and fortune abroad by dence were reignited when Scotland voted
exploring and developing foreign lands. to stay in the EU in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

The Process of Devolution
Soon after the 1707 Act of Union, it became
clear that England and Scotland would
never be equal partners. With the political
centre in London’s Westminster, many Scots
who wanted to make a mark in politics
were forced to leave Scotland. This, and a
system generally weighted towards English
affairs, caused a general feeling of apathy
and impo tence to spread across Scotland.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) was
founded in 1934 and, though its separatist
ideology initially seemed extremist to many, The main chamber of the Scottish Parliament building, in central
they finally won their first seat at Westminster Edinburgh, which opened in 2004

1967 North Sea oil 1999 Scottish Parliament
1914–18 74,000 Scots die in World War I
exploration begins re-established
1931 Economic slump – 2015 SNP win another
65 per cent unemployment 1996 Stone of Destiny (see landslide majority and begin
in Clyde shipyards p64) returns to Scotland a third term in government
1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2025
1920s Hugh 1945 Alexander Fleming 2004 2016 UK votes to leave
MacDiarmid wins Nobel Prize Opening of the EU in referendum
reinstates Scots 1934 Scottish National new Scottish
as literary Party founded Parliament 2014 Referendum narrowly
language Stone of Destiny building rejects Scottish independence

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