Unprincipled careerists or enlightened entrepreneurs? : a study of the roles, identities and attitudes of the Scots MPs at Westminster, c.1754 - c.1784
The Scots MPs of the eighteenth century have traditionally been portrayed in a negative light. In a century once noted for electoral corruption and the abuses of patronage, they were seen by contemporaries and later writers as among the worst examples of their kind: greedy, selfseeking, unprincipled ‘tools of administration’ whose votes could be bought with the offer of places and pensions. Lewis Namier’s seminal work exposing the cynical approach to politics of MPs generally, sparked a backlash which has produced a more balanced evaluation of English politics. Strangely, although Namier exonerated the Scots MPs from the worst of the charges against them, his less judgmental verdicts are found only sporadically in more recent writing, while the older viewpoint is still repeated by some historians. There is no modern study of the eighteenth-century Scots MPs, a situation which this research proposes to remedy, by examining the group of MPs who represented Scotland at Westminster between 1754 and 1784. It re-assesses the extent to which the original criticisms are merited, but also widens the scope by examining the contribution made by Scotland’s MPs, to British and Scottish political life in the later part of the eighteenth century. A study of the social make-up and the careers of this particular cohort provides the backdrop for the two main themes: the participation of Scots MPs in the legislative process, and their effectiveness as representatives of Scottish interests at Westminster. Existing biographical information has been supplemented by an examination of Parliamentary Papers, debates, and personal correspondence to enable further analysis of attitudes, in particular with regard to politics and political mores. The research explores issues of motivation, asking questions about allegiance, identity, perceptions of government, and how conflicts of interest were resolved, before presenting a conclusion which aims to offer a revised, broader, but more nuanced, assessment of this much-criticised group, based on more recent approaches to interpretation
British History 1660-1832: National Identity and Local Culture
Introduction: Region and Locality The Stuart Monarchy and the Idea of Britain James Loses the Kingdoms: The Revolutions of 1688 in their British Context The Union of England and Scotland and the Development of the Hanoverian State The Idea of Britain and the Creation of the First British Empire Peripheral Nations? Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Provincial England Cultural Politics: National Culture in a Metropolitan State The American Revolution and the Origins of the Second British Empire War and Nation 1793-1815: British Identity and the New Empire Empire and its Discontents: English Nationalism and the Imperial State Notes Bibliography Index
The House of Commons in the Eighteenth Century
The business of the House - "the grand inquest of the nation" the business of the House - legislation the business of the House - finance the arrangement of business the attendance of members the seating of the House strangers in the House the day in the House motions the House in debate speakers in debate the method of decision - divisions committees of the House Mr. Speaker - political aspects Mr. Speaker - chairman of the House.