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Scotland: The Global History: 1603 to the Present
An engaging and authoritative history of Scotland’s influence in the world and the world’s on Scotland, from the Thirty Years War to the present day.
Scotland is one of the oldest nations in the world, yet by some it is hardly counted as a nation at all. Neither a colony of England nor a fully equal partner in the British union, Scotland’s history has often been seen as simply a component part of British history. But the story of Scotland is one of innovation, exploration, resistance—and global consequence.
In this wide-ranging, deeply researched account, Murray Pittock examines the place of Scotland in the world. Pittock explores Scotland and Empire, the rise of nationalism, and the pressures on the country from an increasingly monolithic understanding of “Britishness.” From the Thirty Years’ War to Jacobite risings and today’s ongoing independence debates, Scotland and its diaspora have undergone profound changes. This ground-breaking account reveals the diversity of Scotland’s history and shows how, after the country disappeared from the map as an independent state, it continued to build a global brand.
Scotland is one of the oldest nations in the world, yet by some it is hardly counted as a nation at all. Neither a colony of England nor a fully equal partner in the British union, Scotland’s history has often been seen as simply a component part of British history. But the story of Scotland is one of innovation, exploration, resistance—and global consequence.
In this wide-ranging, deeply researched account, Murray Pittock examines the place of Scotland in the world. Pittock explores Scotland and Empire, the rise of nationalism, and the pressures on the country from an increasingly monolithic understanding of “Britishness.” From the Thirty Years’ War to Jacobite risings and today’s ongoing independence debates, Scotland and its diaspora have undergone profound changes. This ground-breaking account reveals the diversity of Scotland’s history and shows how, after the country disappeared from the map as an independent state, it continued to build a global brand.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published September 27, 2022
About the author
Murray Pittock
48 books13 followersMurray G.H. Pittock FRSE is a cultural historian, Bradley Professor of Literature and Pro Vice Principal (Special Projects) at the University of Glasgow.
He was previously Professor of Scottish and Romantic Literature and Deputy Head of Arts at the University of Manchester, the first professor of Scottish Literature at an English university. He has been a visiting fellow at universities worldwide including: New York University (2015), Notre Dame (2014), Charles University, Prague (2010); Trinity College, Dublin (2008); the University of Wales in advanced Welsh and Celtic studies (2002), and Yale (1998, 2000–01).
He was previously Professor of Scottish and Romantic Literature and Deputy Head of Arts at the University of Manchester, the first professor of Scottish Literature at an English university. He has been a visiting fellow at universities worldwide including: New York University (2015), Notre Dame (2014), Charles University, Prague (2010); Trinity College, Dublin (2008); the University of Wales in advanced Welsh and Celtic studies (2002), and Yale (1998, 2000–01).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 7, 2022
The rating reflects my own personal enjoyment of this book rather than any attempt to cast doubt on the research. There were parts of this that I found absorbing, but also large parts that I found very slow reading.
As the title suggests, the book looks at Scotland’s history in relation to the wider world, and Prof. Pittock highlights some of the issues in writing such a history for a country that much of the world does not consider to be a country, since it is not a sovereign state. From another perspective though, Scotland is one of the oldest countries in the world, a recognisable administrative entity with borders that have been fixed since 1482 and which have been substantially in place since the 12th century. He quotes another historian, the late Susan Reynolds, as pointing out that the world has a strange tendency to treat states which exist now as if they have always existed, and to treat countries without states as illegitimate entities.
The author continues by suggesting that the United Kingdom can be viewed as one of the last survivors of a form of political organisation he calls the “composite monarchy”, arguing that the UK can be compared to past entities like Austria-Hungary, Poland-Lithuania and Denmark-Norway. An interesting argument, though I don’t know enough about the other examples to form a firm opinion.
The book opens in 1603 when James VI of Scotland became King of Great Britain and promptly decamped to London. For the next 104 years Scotland was a sovereign kingdom ruled by a monarch who was also king of another country – England – and who acted entirely in the interest of the latter, as the more important of the two realms. Scotland made a number of failed attempts to get in on the business of colonies and international trade, but it was a small, poor country that lacked the military or financial muscle to succeed in that aim.
The early decades following the 1707 union with England were characterised by the series of Jacobite rebellions in favour of restoring the deposed House of Stuart to the throne. I’ve always seen the conflict as primarily dynastic and religious in nature, but Prof. Pittock argues that anti-union sentiment played a significant role. He continues by putting forward the case that it was the growth of the British Empire that allowed the UK to successfully incorporate Scotland. The state used its patronage to give potentially disaffected Scots a disproportionate role in the Empire, effectively co-opting the Scottish elite.
Unfortunately the next section of the book was the one I struggled with most. Large parts turn into a sort of encyclopaedia-style recitation of Scots who achieved notable things outside of their home country. It might come in handy for future reference purposes, but I didn’t find it the easiest read.
The last section considers Scotland’s current situation within the UK, and how the independence debate might develop. This is such an emotive subject that almost every reader from Scotland will disagree at least in part with Prof. Pittock’s assessment. Nevertheless I thought his summary was fair and balanced, and quite perceptive at times.
In conclusion, I found this a patchy book. It contained some very worthwhile aspects, but it was also a lot drier than I had expected.
As the title suggests, the book looks at Scotland’s history in relation to the wider world, and Prof. Pittock highlights some of the issues in writing such a history for a country that much of the world does not consider to be a country, since it is not a sovereign state. From another perspective though, Scotland is one of the oldest countries in the world, a recognisable administrative entity with borders that have been fixed since 1482 and which have been substantially in place since the 12th century. He quotes another historian, the late Susan Reynolds, as pointing out that the world has a strange tendency to treat states which exist now as if they have always existed, and to treat countries without states as illegitimate entities.
The author continues by suggesting that the United Kingdom can be viewed as one of the last survivors of a form of political organisation he calls the “composite monarchy”, arguing that the UK can be compared to past entities like Austria-Hungary, Poland-Lithuania and Denmark-Norway. An interesting argument, though I don’t know enough about the other examples to form a firm opinion.
The book opens in 1603 when James VI of Scotland became King of Great Britain and promptly decamped to London. For the next 104 years Scotland was a sovereign kingdom ruled by a monarch who was also king of another country – England – and who acted entirely in the interest of the latter, as the more important of the two realms. Scotland made a number of failed attempts to get in on the business of colonies and international trade, but it was a small, poor country that lacked the military or financial muscle to succeed in that aim.
The early decades following the 1707 union with England were characterised by the series of Jacobite rebellions in favour of restoring the deposed House of Stuart to the throne. I’ve always seen the conflict as primarily dynastic and religious in nature, but Prof. Pittock argues that anti-union sentiment played a significant role. He continues by putting forward the case that it was the growth of the British Empire that allowed the UK to successfully incorporate Scotland. The state used its patronage to give potentially disaffected Scots a disproportionate role in the Empire, effectively co-opting the Scottish elite.
Unfortunately the next section of the book was the one I struggled with most. Large parts turn into a sort of encyclopaedia-style recitation of Scots who achieved notable things outside of their home country. It might come in handy for future reference purposes, but I didn’t find it the easiest read.
The last section considers Scotland’s current situation within the UK, and how the independence debate might develop. This is such an emotive subject that almost every reader from Scotland will disagree at least in part with Prof. Pittock’s assessment. Nevertheless I thought his summary was fair and balanced, and quite perceptive at times.
In conclusion, I found this a patchy book. It contained some very worthwhile aspects, but it was also a lot drier than I had expected.
August 13, 2022
A very interesting overview of Scotland's history in regards to it's place in the wider world and it's connections. Murray Pittock presents a series of interesting figures and events that link Scotland with every corner of the globe from the trading links and diasporas in Continental European states in the 17th and early 18th centuries to the disproportionate role Scots played in the British Empire, to the last section which draws a lot of political and cultural commentary in it's analysis of the changing place of Scotland within the British state, European Union and the wider world. A very fascinating read for both seasoned Scottish history enthusiasts and as an introduction for people with less prior knowledge.
August 13, 2023
At the heart of the tension in the 300 year old union between Scotland and England is the fact that whilst the Scots know that they are a nation with a history stretching as far back as England's and with a culture and outlook that is thoroughly distinctive, for many English Scotland remains a region in the UK. The fact that for many years Scotland was referred to as North Britain says much. The English are far more likely than the Scots to interchange the terms British and English, seeing Britain as as an extension of the Southern country.
Murray Pittock in this very readable account of Scottish history since the accession of James I & VI sets the Scotland and the union in the wider context of global history, especially the British Empire which was disproportionately impacted by Scottish adventurers, traders and missionaries. The book is an important one, and ought particularly to be read by the English, although Pittock's own biases come through too strongly at times.
Scotland and England were joined together (like Spain and one or two other European countries) through monarchy when James I & VI inherited the English Crown after Elizabeth I's death. This composite monarchy, not particularly welcome either side of the border, gave in hindsight a certain inevitability the Union 100 years later. The Union itself came about through a combination of Scottish financial exposure through the ill-judged Darien expedition (for Pittock it is a moot point whether Scotland actually was bankrupted) and English arm-twisting and coercion: an independent Scottish foreign policy and commerce was not in England's favour, not least because Scotland did not necessarily take England's side in the wars with France.
The only threat to the Union, prior to the 2014 referendum was the Jacobite risings of the first half of the eighteenth century. Pittock rather fancifully projects forward 200 years and considers whether a successful rising would, by leaving England unable to win the seven years war thus preventing French bankruptcy, the French Revolution and the rise of nineteenth century nationalism, have prevented the horrors of the Twentieth Century conflicts. Counter-factual history can take you so far, but I would suggest not this far!
The chapter on Empire is possibly the most significant in terms of Scotland's global role. It is a pity that Pittock packs the chapter with lists of Scottish people who did something. The fluency of the rest of the book is broken up here and oddly lends a certain parochialism to the theme - the very opposite of what Pittock is trying to achieve. You could imagine a history of Sheffield having a similar tone (and now let me tell you what X and Y did!). What is very interesting is the way that Pittock really does shy away from the culpability of Scots in the darker side of empire. Slavery is mentioned - how could it not be? but special pleading is employed in the Opium wars where we are warned against believing Chinese imperial propaganda. Opium is treated as just another commodity that the Chinese were unfairly embargoing. The huge Scottish Far Eastern conglomerate Jardine Mattheson, who were behind much of the policy, we are told - as if in mitigation - did some good work in famine relief. It should be pointed out that no such extenuating arguments are advanced in favour of the English in empire who pursue their ruthless post-Culloden clearances and persecution throughout North America and elsewhere.
Pittock links the more recent resurgence of Scottish nationalism to the ending of Empire. There is no question that the post-1945 changes in the British economy hit Scotland particularly hard. The Clyde shipbuilders, who once dominated global shipbuilding, were devastated as was the Scottish steel industry. One of the many egregious policies of the Thatcher administrator was to spend the North Sea gas windfall rather than act wisely as the Norwegians did and form a Sovereign wealth fund that could have benefited the nation well into the future. It is debatable how much benefits accrued to Scotland from North Sea oil and gas, but undoubtedly a lot went to England.
The final chapter on modern Scotland deals more closely with the question of independence and whether it is possible. Pittock believes that it certainly is, although only within the EU. He doesn't believe that the Scottish public are prepared for the costs that EU budgetary rules would impose on Scotland. Scotland's traditionally liberal social spending (free university tuition fees, free prescriptions) would surely be curtailed. The Republic of Ireland did free itself from the economic orbit of the UK but this took a long time and was accelerated by the animus that motivated the split.
Oddly, Pittock only alludes to the 2008 financial crash and it does seem a very odd lacuna. The Royal Bank of Scotland nearly brought the entire UK economy down and was saved through the fast thinking Scottish UK prime minister Gordon Brown. How this would have played out in an independent Scotland is therefore left unexamined. In fact Brown and Blair both receive little attention - although of course it was under Blair that Scottish devolution was granted. The fact that the UK government was run by two Scots for 13 years (and then followed by a Cameron, albeit an Anglicised one) is perhaps a little inconvenient for those who want to draw a sharp distinction between England and Scotland. The fact is that the two nations are united through work, marriage and politics in a way that makes separation difficult. In 2001 there were 100,000 Londoners who were born in Scotland (including my wife). It would be interesting to know how many in Edinburgh were born in England. Presumably J.K. Rowling isn't the only one.
Finally, I was amused to see that the Goodreads algorithm suggested that if I enjoyed Scotland: A Global History, I would also like Katja Hoyer's Beyond the Wall. Surely there is no suggestion that beyond Hadrian's wall there is a one party state peddling some kind of socialist utopia? Or maybe it is a dark prophecy of what independence might bring.
Murray Pittock in this very readable account of Scottish history since the accession of James I & VI sets the Scotland and the union in the wider context of global history, especially the British Empire which was disproportionately impacted by Scottish adventurers, traders and missionaries. The book is an important one, and ought particularly to be read by the English, although Pittock's own biases come through too strongly at times.
Scotland and England were joined together (like Spain and one or two other European countries) through monarchy when James I & VI inherited the English Crown after Elizabeth I's death. This composite monarchy, not particularly welcome either side of the border, gave in hindsight a certain inevitability the Union 100 years later. The Union itself came about through a combination of Scottish financial exposure through the ill-judged Darien expedition (for Pittock it is a moot point whether Scotland actually was bankrupted) and English arm-twisting and coercion: an independent Scottish foreign policy and commerce was not in England's favour, not least because Scotland did not necessarily take England's side in the wars with France.
The only threat to the Union, prior to the 2014 referendum was the Jacobite risings of the first half of the eighteenth century. Pittock rather fancifully projects forward 200 years and considers whether a successful rising would, by leaving England unable to win the seven years war thus preventing French bankruptcy, the French Revolution and the rise of nineteenth century nationalism, have prevented the horrors of the Twentieth Century conflicts. Counter-factual history can take you so far, but I would suggest not this far!
The chapter on Empire is possibly the most significant in terms of Scotland's global role. It is a pity that Pittock packs the chapter with lists of Scottish people who did something. The fluency of the rest of the book is broken up here and oddly lends a certain parochialism to the theme - the very opposite of what Pittock is trying to achieve. You could imagine a history of Sheffield having a similar tone (and now let me tell you what X and Y did!). What is very interesting is the way that Pittock really does shy away from the culpability of Scots in the darker side of empire. Slavery is mentioned - how could it not be? but special pleading is employed in the Opium wars where we are warned against believing Chinese imperial propaganda. Opium is treated as just another commodity that the Chinese were unfairly embargoing. The huge Scottish Far Eastern conglomerate Jardine Mattheson, who were behind much of the policy, we are told - as if in mitigation - did some good work in famine relief. It should be pointed out that no such extenuating arguments are advanced in favour of the English in empire who pursue their ruthless post-Culloden clearances and persecution throughout North America and elsewhere.
Pittock links the more recent resurgence of Scottish nationalism to the ending of Empire. There is no question that the post-1945 changes in the British economy hit Scotland particularly hard. The Clyde shipbuilders, who once dominated global shipbuilding, were devastated as was the Scottish steel industry. One of the many egregious policies of the Thatcher administrator was to spend the North Sea gas windfall rather than act wisely as the Norwegians did and form a Sovereign wealth fund that could have benefited the nation well into the future. It is debatable how much benefits accrued to Scotland from North Sea oil and gas, but undoubtedly a lot went to England.
The final chapter on modern Scotland deals more closely with the question of independence and whether it is possible. Pittock believes that it certainly is, although only within the EU. He doesn't believe that the Scottish public are prepared for the costs that EU budgetary rules would impose on Scotland. Scotland's traditionally liberal social spending (free university tuition fees, free prescriptions) would surely be curtailed. The Republic of Ireland did free itself from the economic orbit of the UK but this took a long time and was accelerated by the animus that motivated the split.
Oddly, Pittock only alludes to the 2008 financial crash and it does seem a very odd lacuna. The Royal Bank of Scotland nearly brought the entire UK economy down and was saved through the fast thinking Scottish UK prime minister Gordon Brown. How this would have played out in an independent Scotland is therefore left unexamined. In fact Brown and Blair both receive little attention - although of course it was under Blair that Scottish devolution was granted. The fact that the UK government was run by two Scots for 13 years (and then followed by a Cameron, albeit an Anglicised one) is perhaps a little inconvenient for those who want to draw a sharp distinction between England and Scotland. The fact is that the two nations are united through work, marriage and politics in a way that makes separation difficult. In 2001 there were 100,000 Londoners who were born in Scotland (including my wife). It would be interesting to know how many in Edinburgh were born in England. Presumably J.K. Rowling isn't the only one.
Finally, I was amused to see that the Goodreads algorithm suggested that if I enjoyed Scotland: A Global History, I would also like Katja Hoyer's Beyond the Wall. Surely there is no suggestion that beyond Hadrian's wall there is a one party state peddling some kind of socialist utopia? Or maybe it is a dark prophecy of what independence might bring.
March 26, 2023
National history, except honest: all about the huge international effects coming in and firing out from the subject nation. Pittock is sceptical, as you have to be with things as romanticised and politicised as small-country national identity. He has a long popup box about how the Highlands are bullshit, for instance.
The important bit, familiar to anyone paying attention (which excludes most Scots in my ken) is the enthusiastic role of Scots in conquest and slaving. (in the Scandinavian and Russian conquests as mercenaries, in Ulster and Darien as colonisers, later in the British Empire as subject imperialists crushing Quebec or sepoys or .) These empires would mot have worked without Scotch soldiers - 64 per cent of Swedish naval captains were Scottish by the late 1620s., the Scottish Army composed almost 60 per cent of [Cromwell’s] army . This is inconvenient for people who trade in symbols or consume them. It doesn’t much sound like an underdog. It’s easy to see why you’d want to portray your country as subjected to things rather than subjecting others to things.
As usual with history books, there’s a forest of irrelevant detail and you’re mostly left to divine the significant bits and judge how cherrypicked this all is yourself.
But assuming you give a shit about the topic and can tell why e.g. the Covenant of 1638 is a big deal, it’s a good book. I wish he’d make judgments more - Charles’ move to ally with Spain in return for troops to defeat the Covenanters in 1640 was alike toxic and incompetent: hallmarks of his government. - but he’s already above baseline for his profession.
It has been years since I read prose this academic though.
But I can still parse this stuff and Pittock lacks the vices that usually attend such constipated writing (vagueness, extremism, self-congratulation, lazy deconstruction, applause lights, innumeracy, bias). Actually a lot of it is concentrated in the introduction, so just skip that.
[There are now] five times as many Scots by birth or descent in the world as live in the country
The ‘first known British-flagged army in history’ was deployed on James’s authority in 1610, and ‘a Regiment of Britons’ (the majority of whom were Scots…
The important bit, familiar to anyone paying attention (which excludes most Scots in my ken) is the enthusiastic role of Scots in conquest and slaving. (in the Scandinavian and Russian conquests as mercenaries, in Ulster and Darien as colonisers, later in the British Empire as subject imperialists crushing Quebec or sepoys or .) These empires would mot have worked without Scotch soldiers - 64 per cent of Swedish naval captains were Scottish by the late 1620s., the Scottish Army composed almost 60 per cent of [Cromwell’s] army . This is inconvenient for people who trade in symbols or consume them. It doesn’t much sound like an underdog. It’s easy to see why you’d want to portray your country as subjected to things rather than subjecting others to things.
As usual with history books, there’s a forest of irrelevant detail and you’re mostly left to divine the significant bits and judge how cherrypicked this all is yourself.
There were only fifty Scots in London in 1567… the total number of Scots in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth ranged as high as 40,000.
But assuming you give a shit about the topic and can tell why e.g. the Covenant of 1638 is a big deal, it’s a good book. I wish he’d make judgments more - Charles’ move to ally with Spain in return for troops to defeat the Covenanters in 1640 was alike toxic and incompetent: hallmarks of his government. - but he’s already above baseline for his profession.
It has been years since I read prose this academic though.
The Scotland of this study articulated itself distinctly in terms of its foundation myth and national story and its literary relationship to the classical and European generic and canonical traditions. It inflected and interpreted external influences – Dutch, French, English – towards its own specific conditions, and its people articulated themselves in national terms wherever they were in the world, performing identity in diaspora.
But I can still parse this stuff and Pittock lacks the vices that usually attend such constipated writing (vagueness, extremism, self-congratulation, lazy deconstruction, applause lights, innumeracy, bias). Actually a lot of it is concentrated in the introduction, so just skip that.
Read
June 25, 2023My interview with Professor Murray Pittock on "Scotland: The Global History" for The Armen Show:
http://www.armenshirvanian.com/podcas...
http://www.armenshirvanian.com/podcas...
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