Radical Scotland: Uncovering Scotland’s radical history – from the French Revolutionary era to the 1820 Rising

by Mr Kenny MacAskill

The French Revolution provided a spare which lit the fire of radicalism in Scotland. In the late eighteenth century, discontented workers took to the streets and united in opposition to the King and the government. Brave men such as Thomas Muir, Thomas Fyshe Palmer and William Skirving attempted to organise the Scottish people in pursuit of widespread political reform. Uprisings spread across the country and the authorities responded with violent brutality, but the radical flame could not be extinguished and would only burn more fiercely into the nineteenth century.

Tracing events from the 1780's to the 1820's, Radical Scotland tells the widely forgotten story of the country's revolutionary heroes who courageously gave up their liberty and even their lives to fight for the rights of the people. The story starts with the French Revolution and sheds light on decisive events, including the massacre of Tranent, before culminating in the 1820 rising. Kenny MacAskill draws on archival sources to vividly recount the pivotal moments during this tumultuous time. This is Scotland's radical history.

Genres: Scotland, Nonfiction, History, Politics

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Geoff Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly the downside, often too repetitious and could have done with a bit more judicious editing. They said this book ensures the history of those Scottish radical activists from 1790-1820 are not forgotten. It gives details of the many small uprisings that took place during these years.

The basic premise of the book is that there was a growing radicalisation in Scotland and this was primarily directed at the lairds of Scotland and the undemocratic practices in Scotland and Westminster.

Three stars of this is not your interest, four states if it.

[Ian Fraser · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough and revealing account of how the post-enlightenment British and Scottish establishment sought to crush dissent (including pro-democracy protests, and those campaigning for better pay and conditions) from the 1790s to the 1820s. Kenny MacAskill has clearly researched this book very well. He debunks myths that the goal of the dissenters and revolutionaries who people the pages of 'Radical Scotland' was Scottish independence. Read it to find out about the remarkable, paranoia-driven intolerance of the political leaders of that period and the heroism of some of those who were fighting for a fairer system.

[Adam Windsor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid if sometimes drily-written account of the activities and fates of the would-be reformers of Scottish politics from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Nothing they were fighting for would seem terribly radical today, of course, but they paid severe punishments for championing them nonetheless. It's not hard to see parallels with current movements like Black Lives Matter.

[Rix · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely an interesting read, perhaps slightly limited in context by being about a stretch of about thirty years but it does a very good job emphasising the human cost to individuals and the way that the state will use violence in ways great and small to suppress a people's uprising

[Donald Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shines a light on an important but often overlooked chapter in Scottish history.