Rebuilding a nation : the way of devolution in Scotland in the second part of the twentieth century

This paper focuses on two crucial referendums on a Scottish body of self– government: the referendum of 1979, when devolution failed to attract enough support and the referendum of 1997 when devolution was endorsed. The paper offers a detailed examination of the period in–between. The rise of the SNP and the reactions of Labour and the Tories to this are investigated in connection with the way of devolution. It is argued that the democratic deficit, the growing influence of the European Union, and the revaluation of the Scottish national identity together led to the success of the 1997 referendum