Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22144
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dc.contributor.advisorMacleod, Emma V-
dc.contributor.advisorMann, Alastair J-
dc.contributor.authorBedborough, Sheena-
dc.date.accessioned2015-08-21T09:22:17Z-
dc.date.issued2015-04-
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/22144-
dc.description.abstractAbstract 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, self-seeking, 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 of the period.en_GB
dc.language.isoenen_GB
dc.publisherUniversity of Stirlingen_GB
dc.rightsKeith Adam of Blairadam kindly allowed me to quote from the Adam Muniments. North Yorkshire County Record Office gave permission to quote from the Zetland Archive. The University of Glasgow kindly gave permission for the use of the image of William Mure of Caldwell. (University of Glasgow Archive Services, GB0248 UP2/107/2) The following images are printed courtesy of a Creative Commons licence from the National Portrait Gallery: James Duff, 2nd Earl of Fife Lord Frederick Campbell William Adam House of Commons, 1793-4 The image of Simon Fraser was accessed from J.P. Maclean, An Historical Account of the Settlements of Scotch Highlanders in America (Glasgow,1900), Project Gutenberg, < www.gutenberg.org>. [Accessed 30 March 2015]. The engraving of Robert Dundas is from G.W.T. Omond, The Arniston Memoirs (Edinburgh, 1887), p. 163, <www.archive.org>. [Accessed 30 March 2015]. Appendix 3 showing expenditure on Highland Roads is reproduced from the House of Commons Journals, as digitised in the HCPP database (copyright University of Southampton and ProQuest ).-
dc.subjectParliamenten_GB
dc.subjectScotlanden_GB
dc.subjectrepresentationen_GB
dc.subjectgovernmenten_GB
dc.subjectMembers of Parliamenten_GB
dc.subjecteighteenth centuryen_GB
dc.subject.lcshLegislatorsen_GB
dc.subject.lcshRepresentative government and representation18th centuryen_GB
dc.subject.lcshScotland Politics and government 18th centuryen_GB
dc.subject.lcshGreat Britain Politics and government 18th centuryen_GB
dc.titleUnprincipled Careerists or Enlightened Entrepreneurs? A study of the roles, identities and attitudes of the Scots MPs at Westminster, c.1754 - c.1784en_GB
dc.typeThesis or Dissertationen_GB
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoralen_GB
dc.type.qualificationnameDoctor of Philosophyen_GB
dc.rights.embargodate2017-04-
dc.rights.embargoreasonIntention to publish article(s) from thesisen_GB
dc.author.emailsheena.bedborough@btinternet.comen_GB
dc.rights.embargoterms2017-05-01en_GB
dc.rights.embargoliftdate2017-05-01-
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