Stalinism, 'nation theory' and Scottish history: a reply to John Foster

Davidson, N. (2002) Stalinism, 'nation theory' and Scottish history: a reply to John Foster. Historical Materialism, 10(3), pp. 195-222. (doi: 10.1163/15692060260289743)

Abstract

The Origins of Scottish Nationhood was an attempt to resolve two problems, one of history and the other of contemporary politics. The historical problem was the apparent failure of the Scottish nation to conform to the modernist conception of nationhood, in which national consciousness first develops during the transition to either capitalism (in classical Marxism) or industrialisation (in classical sociology). If Scotland was a nation in 1057 or 1320, as is so often claimed, then it must either be an exceptional case, or the designation must also be extended to England, France, or any other united kingdom of the medieval period. Since general theories abhor exceptions, we must conclude either that modernism is wrong, or – my preferred alternative – that Scotland achieved nationhood, not in the Dark Ages or the medieval period, but after the Treaty of Union with England, after the dissolution of the late-feudal state into Britain.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Davidson, Mr Neil
• Authors: Davidson, N.
• College/School: UNSPECIFIED
• Journal Name: Historical Materialism
• Publisher: Brill Academic Publishers
• ISSN: 1465-4466
• ISSN (Online): 1569-206X