The Scottish Clearances

Discover the profound impact of the Scottish Clearances on Scotland's landscape and society with this compelling account. This pivotal 400-page book, published by Penguin UK in 2019, delves into the transition from traditional customs to a new era of land exploitation that reshaped the Lowland countryside and the Highlands. Using extensive original sources, this groundbreaking work illuminates the violent and coercive changes that uprooted communities, leading to mass evictions and emigration. It's a critical examination of how economic efficiency came at a devastating cost to people and their heritage. Explore the lesser-known aspects of Scottish history that are often overshadowed by the Enlightenment, challenging familiar assumptions and debunking myths. The Scottish Clearances is not just a history book; it offers a deeply human story that pays homage to those who suffered during this tumultuous period. With FREE shipping available, this insightful and evocative memorial will be a valuable addition to any history enthusiast's collection. Embrace the rich narrative of Scotland's past and understand how the Clearances have left an indelible mark on the nation today.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780141985930
Format: B-format paperback
Year: 2019
Publisher: Penguin UK
Pages: 400


Description:
Eighteenth-century Scotland is famed for generating many of the enlightened ideas which helped to shape the modern world. But there was in the same period another side to the history of the nation. Many of Scotland's people were subjected to coercive and sometimes violent change- traditional and customary relationships were overturned and replaced by the 'rational' exploitation of land use. The Scottish Clearances is a superb and highly original account of this sometimes terrible process, which changed the Lowland countryside forever, as it also did, more infamously, the old society of the Highlands.

Based on an extensive use of original sources, this pioneering book is the first to chart this tumultuous saga in one volume, with due attention to evictions and loss of land in both north and south of the Highland line. In the process, old myths are exploded and familiar assumptions undermined. With many fascinating details and the sense of an epic human story, The Scottish Clearances is an evocative memorial to all whose lives were irreparably changed in the interests of economic efficiency.

The result created the landscape of Scotland as we know it today, but that came at a price. This is a story of forced clearance, of the destruction of entire communities and of large-scale emigration. Some winners were able to adapt and exploit the new opportunities, but there were also others who lost everything.

This product has FREE shipping however combined shipping for other products is not available with this item. Please allow up to 10 days for shipping.