SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND SINCE 17TH CENTURY

INTRODUCTION:

• England and Scotland had experienced a same crown since long past.
• In the early 17th century, after the demise of queen Elizabeth 2 of both the England and Scotland then in 1602, her successor perceived the interest of unified rule of the both kingdoms.
• It was to make the administration painless, but later the intentions of the unification transformed to be divergent. 
• Few monarchs could not achieve the unification while few were not interested in it.
• The succession of the crown was by protestants called Hanover-ism.
• The Catholics were the minority both in the Scotland and England.
• But Scotland had good percentage of them.
• Glorious revolution which was the process of turning people to turning people to Catholics was practised by the monarch James, a catholic, which ousted him from throne.
• Many uprisings by Catholics for equality as of protestants.
• As the days passed by, the Scottish and England's parliament began showing interest in the unification who never wanted unification earlier.

SCOTLAND'S INTEREST IN UNIFICATION:

• The interest of Scotland in the trade and English markets.
• The failure of Darien scheme by the Scottish officials left their economy in crisis which forced the financial support of England.
• DARIEN SCHEME: Scottish officials in order to compete England's colonies and their methods of trade ,established a colony called Caledonia in Panama. Lots of funds were invested in this project leaving the economy in devastation. This project failure also urged them to seek for financial aid from England.

THE PROBLEMS OF SCOTLAND IF UNITED:

• TAXES: The act of union termed that the taxes imposed on the citizens of both the kingdoms should be equal. But the Scottish people protested that they could not meet the rates of taxes as they are economically weak then. This led to the discontentment among the common citizens in Scotland which made them oppose unification.
• The problem of church which is to be the centre of worship was another question among the people.
• The problem of sharing a single parliament and other official blocks of Scotland.
• RELIGION: The protestant succession of monarchy led to the disgrace among the minority class Catholics. Thus began Jacobitism, the protest against the protestants. So the Catholics were not interested in the unification.
• Margaret Thatcher's imposition of poll tax, that is fixed tax on every person.

ENGLAND'S INTEREST IN UNIFICATION:

• The only interest of England was to make Scotland a part of it before it ousts the joint monarchy and merge or form alliance with any other kingdom against it. 
• As the Scotland kingdom was very closer to the England's, it posed a threat.

THE PROBLEMS OF ENGLAND IF UNITED:

• There were many protests in England as the act of union made many easy provisions for Scottish people.
• Many financial and tax benefits to the Scotland.
• They found a threat to their own kingdom and religion if unified.

THE PROCESS OF UNIFICATION:

• A 25 article bill was proposed by England after many attempts of bill introduction in the preceding years..
• Many sessions were held in the discussion of the provisions by both the kingdoms.
• Each of them appointed a separate committee on the matters of unification.
• Thus an act of union was passed after facing every single hurdle and protest in 1707.
• Some of the provisions were like the United Kingdom is the name to be given, 1 parliameant in Hanover, standardisation of currency, the no. of MPs in westminster etc.

AFTER EFFECTS:

• The rebellious uprisings in 1715 and 1745 called Jacobite nationalist movement against the government to restore the Scottish freedom and parliament.
• These uprisings were finally suppressed and it led to a bloody massacre.
• The clan system of the Jacobites was dismantled.
• Thus it made everything set in peace and the Catholics just wished to live.
• Politically, after unification, the parliament could not distant rule leaving the Scotland in the hands of local people. Whoever raised their voice, became a head then in Scotland. Such was the worst scenario of it then.
• Anyway, Scotland fell helpless.
• But in the end of 18th century, Scotland developed due to industrial transformation. There was economic stability seen. Thus now they could stand alone.
• They built up the bricks of nationalism as the years and decades passed by. They waited for a right time and they yearned for development economically, politically and socially.
• Scotland's economy was no longer under developed.
• Catholics raised from minority, wanted their own parliament, wanted a direct rule and thus started the urge for their own country in the late 20th century.
• Politically also, there were many mishaps in the United kingdom's parliament.The act of union was amended many times and thus led to the political instability in Scotland.
• The scotland's issues were addressed by minor committees and the holdings in parliament from Scotland reduced too, thus making England the sole power in the game.
• This led to no peace among the people of Scotland who were inspired by the nationalism feeling. So they started out breaking.

MY PERSPECTIVE:

• Firstly, Every country is self obsessed for its own development competing with the other countries in every aspect possible and want to rule the world and be a super power.
• Secondly, every individual is a greedy, self obsessed for his own development competing against others to be rich or whatever his motive be.
• So, Few say that Scotland was bought and sold for English gold by a parcel of roguish politicians.
• They had the power, so they did it. The conditions forced them to do so. May be they had conspired intentions but the situation demanded them for unification.
• If they did not unite them, can you think of how Scotland would be? Would it be as developed and flourished as now?
• So the unification added to the development of Scotland, though the English had their own intents.
• It is again that selfish motive, that is making people rise for a separation.
• Yes, few people suffered due to the unification, but on the large scale it added to them.
• The demands raised for the separation are also valid as they who had suffered in the past and those who had the raised feeling of the nationalism want a new ruling for themselves.
• They want a political stability, a new era for themselves in a very planned way.
• But there is opposition too for this separation cause.
• Many people of the two kingdoms took to the UK as their motherland and they feel that being one makes everything and separation destroys.
• So people have got their own perspectives. If the UK really shares good political relations within their own land( Scotland, England and Ireland), it would be a better option for the common people.
• Anything can be sustained in today's world. A separation or no, now both are capable to face anything. But the heart feelings stop them from doing something.