North Sea oil and the rise of Scottish nationalism
In the early 1970s the SNP enjoyed some short-lived electoral success, especially as the flow of North Sea oil increased support for Scottish independence. Campaigning for the October 1974 election on the slogan “It’s Scotland’s oil!,” the SNP managed to mobilize a sense of economic grievance and cultural resentment that cut across the traditional class divisions of Scottish politics. The party won more than 30 percent of the Scottish vote and 11 of the 71 Scottish seats in Parliament.
On March 1, 1979, in an effort to stave off militant nationalism, the Labour government of James Callaghan held a referendum to approve its devolution legislation, which was designed to grant Scotland its own assembly with limited legislative and executive powers. Although favoured by a majority (52.9 percent) of the Scots who voted, the referendum failed to win the approval of the required 40 percent of the electorate. The SNP (along with the Liberals and the Plaid Cymru) then withdrew its support from the Labour government, causing it to lose a vote of confidence, and in the ensuing election the SNP lost 9 of its 11 seats in Parliament.
Despite economic and political problems in the 1980s Scottish cultural confidence grew in most areas of artistic activity. Established Scottish writers such as Alasdair Gray and James Kelman pursued new themes in Scottish literature. They were joined by a new generation of younger writers, notably Irvine Welsh, whose novel Trainspotting (1993) was made into a successful film.
Throughout the 1980s, when the Conservative government in London enjoyed little support in Scotland, support for greater political autonomy increased. In 1989 the introduction in Scotland of the “community charge,” a uniform-rate poll tax intended to replace taxation based on property, produced widespread protests against the Conservatives and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. (The poll tax was introduced in England and Wales in the following year.) Partly because of the SNP’s strong opposition to the poll tax and Labour’s lukewarm response, the SNP’s support spiked to 21.5 percent of the Scottish vote in 1992—though it won only 3 seats in Parliament, because of the plurality election system; the Labour Party won 49 seats, the Conservatives 11, and the Liberal Democrats 9. Despite Labour’s continued popularity in Scotland, the SNP managed to remain a significant presence.
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
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Scotland - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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Scotland is a part of the United Kingdom, a country of western Europe. The other parts of the United Kingdom are England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Scotland covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It borders England to the south. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh.
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Scotland - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
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A part of the United Kingdom, Scotland occupies the northern part of the island of Great Britain. Rugged uplands separate it from England to the south. Within this border territory north of England the Scots fought many wars to keep their independence. In 1707, however, Scotland was joined to England, and the entire island became a single kingdom, the United Kingdom of Great Britain. But the Scots remain a distinct people with a long history different from that of England. Long characterized as a land of romance, Scotland contains ruins of many ancient castles and abbeys, and there is a haunting beauty in its windswept mountains, long deep valleys, and ribbon lakes. It attracts many tourists, particularly from the United States and England. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh.
The topic Scotland is discussed at the following external Web sites.
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Electric Scotland
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Dark Isle: Castles, Cairns and Celtic Music of Scotland
- "Extensive photo gallery depicting Scottish castles, manors, cairns, gravestones, and stone carvings. Includes short notes on the structures as well as the local activities, and features audio files."
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Scotsman.com
- Scotland’s leading newspaper, with comprehensive UK and international coverage. Provides daily news, a weekly news round-up, features, reviews, comment, business and sports coverage, and lifestyle news. Includes a Gaelic section and a shop selling Scotsman-branded products.
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The Official Site of the Scottish Executive
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Fact Monster - Scotland
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Rampant Scotland - A Timeline of Scottish History
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The Catholic Encyclopedia - Scotland
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How Stuff Works - Geography - Geography of Scotland
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The Official Site of Scotland
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The Official Site of the Scottish Parliament
- Official site of this parliament. Contains information about the history of the parliament, parliamentary procedure and organization, current legislation, and the composition of the assembly including member biographies. Also features news, agendas, and publications.
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Lonely Planet - Scotland
- Travel guide to this country. Includes a history, and information on the popular destinations, environment, culture, and events. Also contains a bibliography and maps.
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Folk Music of England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, America
- Compilation of folk music from the British Islands and North America. Provides lyrics and information on every composition.
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VisitScotland.com - The Official Site of Scotland’s National Tourist Board
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Scotland Travel
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Scottish Tartans
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The Sunday Herald
- Scottish Sunday newspaper, with UK and international coverage. Also offers comment, arts reviews, lifestyle and sports articles, and business stories. Includes a special section on the annual Edinburgh Festival; Mindworks, a set of articles on health and happiness; and user opinion polls.
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Stones of Scotland
- "Information on the prehistoric monuments in Scotland. Features images of stone circles, cairns, standing stones, and hill settlements of archaeological and astronomical significance."
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Travel Scotland
- "Guide to this component country of the U.K. Provides information on tourist attractions, events, activities, accommodation, and culinary specialties. Also features a news archive. "
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General Register Office for Scotland -Scotland’s Census
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CRW Flags - Flag of Scotland, United Kingdom
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UK Law Online - The Court System