State of scottish politics

Recently I got the chance to talk to the Marquis of Huntly at the Williamsburg Scottish Games.  He was the honored guest for the Games.  After the Games, there was a banquet for the Marquis and the honored clan, Gordon.  The Marquis gave a very interesting speech on the state of Scottish politics today.  According to the Marquis, the practice of hereditary titles is in jepardy.  Though Scotland is free, most of her population resides in the lower basin.  Currently Scotland has a Socialist government that wants to do away with hereditary titles and land ownership.  Gone would be the Clan chiefs and really, the whole clan system.  The Marquis was very happy to see the support his tittle and the Clan system recieves in America but he was not sure how much longer his way of life could last.  The Clan chiefs, and other hereditary leaders are willing to work with the government but refuse to just give up their title, job, and land without reinbursment.  I think it would be a sad thing to loose that which has served Scotland for centuries.  I am looking for ideas on how to get the word out to others and maybe even help with the political battle.

Socialist goverment. Scotland is way behind the times, to not know it doesn't work. The clan system is the very thing thak makes us proud of our scotish blood. We can wear our clan plaid, and others know we belong. Without the head of the clan, who would watch out for the interests of the people. The goverment? Ha! Not bloody likly!

Well, according to the Marquis Scotland will always have a Socialist government.  I think that the backlash against hereditary titles is really a backlash against the British.  It is sad because your right, the whole reason people of Scotish decent take pride in it is the clan system.  It gives us a chance to be both unique, yet at the same time part of a group.  Also, the subsistance farmers are supported in a large part by the titled land owners.  When those owners are no more the farmers will have to look the government for assistance.  That will put a burden on the whole country.

You are right, the clan system is something to be proud about your heritage; but it seems somewhere along the lines they should have switched from tenants to land-owners themselves.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts. The clan system served it's purpose in the medieval days to protect the members of the clan. It is sad that Scotland did not empower its people with land ownership; although it seems that many displaced scots found their own land over the centuries in countries afar.

The government WANTS to do it which is a very huge difference to DO it... I know many scots and perhaps the clan leaders are willing to do so... but scots are taking so much pride in their heritage..

Also: the actual clan-system broke after culloden.. today clan chiefs have a more representative function... the basic idea of the clan system is much like the idea of the mafia... the basic idea is protection... after the battle of culloden it was forbidden to wear tartan and... i think you all know. after this the idea has changes.. the duchess of Sutherland (in the 19th century) for example drove the poor farmers out of their cottages to use the land for sheep breeding and wool production. this caused a wave of migration, most people went to America...

A guess the clan system is more romance for us Americans than reality it is.  It is true many landowners were not good to their people. That explains the large influx of the Irish and Scottish people to the United States.  The upper echelon who were usually absent owners, had no ties or feelings to the people who lived on their land.  When the clan system was working it was like one big family with the stronger   members or protection.

I guess with the battle of culloden, and the banning of the wearing a plaid, made the plaid more important in the United States.

Hello, I am a native Scot from Edinburgh - I posted on the 'companion' board of this one a couple of times - but it seems to be inaccessible now


I thought you might be interested in the views of a 'native' re the clan system.

Effectively, most Scots feel that there is NO clan system - it was effectively killed off after Culloden and then the highland Clearances.

Granted there are still Chiefs - and a few of them do, indeed still live in Scotland - but a lot of them are not British citizens, they live in Canada, Australia, USA, New Zealand and South Africa - all areas where the Scots migrated to many years ago!  Why would any native Scot feel they wished to 'pledge allegiance' to an overseas citizen?  

I am a patriotic Scot, I love my country.  And, as far as I am concerned - there is NO 'plot' to get rid of the aristocracy in this country.  The only thing the Govt is definitely committed to, in terms of hereditary lands etc, is to get rid of the upper House of Parliament - ie the House of Lords - where a number of the Scots aristocracy sit....  Some of those titled lords, Marquises, Dukes etc are Scots but are not clan chiefs - others, like the one mentioned here IS    

What has been reported in the news here is that the Scottish Parliament is keen to allow tenant farmers the right to buy the land that their families have farmed (often for 2-300 years or more) when the land becomes available....

Most of the 'clans' extant today are not really clans - they are 'clan societies' and a lot of them charge membership fees.  Some of the USA socieities do not even ask that you have proven blood lines to the main clan name or one of its sept names - only that you express an interest in the clan and its history.

I have a proud highland name, and I am proud of my heritage.  I suppose because most of us are able to just wander along to the local graveyard to see our ancestors, the real longing and need that overseas Scots express is harder for us to understand  

The reasons that Scotland will probably remain a socialist country are many....  if anyone's interested, I'm happy to expand on it!

Welcome, Catriona!!

Congratulations for being a patriot since that´s a very difficult thing to be in our days.

I´m from Portugal, and I also love my country and I´m proud of that. Celts were here too (the celtibers), so that must be why I feel so conected to Great Britain... or, If the story of past lives is true...

Love,

Kaia

you may expand, I'm always interested, where do you live? Perhaps we could meet up someday, I'll be in scotland for christmas...
I'll spend some days in Helensburgh and the I'll be in Edinburgh and Fife.

I'll be visiting family at Christmas - but I'll be home for Hogmanay....

I'm a bit nervous about agreeing to meet people that I meet on the internet - you hear such odd stories  

I know, I met my boyfriend (who is living in Edinbugh) in Internet =))

We could meet up at a neutral point, like in some starbucks cafe or on royal mile (in safety of all the tourists) I'll certainly stay over Hogmanay.


picture is taken from www.rampantscotland.com

If you know anything about Scotland, you will know how busy we are at New Year - whole house to be cleaned from top to bottom - old arguments and family rifts to be repaired - parties to plan....    

The Starbucks cafe on the Royal Mile is not very good, by the way - just so you know where to avoid!

Did you ever hear of a "Good" Starbucks cafe??

I'm with you Welsh Guy  

I've never found a Starbucks that I like.... this marketing ploy they have of being able to stand in the doorway of one store and see the next starbucks from there.... BLECH!  

Luckily they haven't reached France yet! (Unlike a certain Scotish sounding burger chain)