The Fight for Scottish Democracy

Rebellion and Reform in 1820

Murray Armstrong

$34.95

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

PLUTO PRESS
20 April 2020

History; British & Irish history; Revolutions, uprisings, rebellions; Elections & referenda; Political structures: democracy; Revolutionary groups & movements

Three Scottish weavers, James Wilson, Andrew Hardie and John Baird, were hanged and beheaded for high treason in the summer of 1820. Nineteen more men were transported to the penal colony of Botany Bay. Their crime? To have taken up arms against a corrupt and nepotistic parliament, and the aristocratic government that refused to reform it.

This 'Radical War' was the culmination of five years of unsuccessful mass petitioning of Westminster by working people in Scotland and England. The contempt and intransigence of the Tory government forced an escalation in tactics, and on Easter Monday of 1820, the call for a general strike was answered throughout the western counties of Scotland. Their demands were threefold: the vote for all men, annual parliaments and equal constituencies. Coupled with an armed rebellion, the strike was met by the full military might of the British state; hundreds were arrested and imprisoned without trial, while hundreds more fled the country.

This Scottish general strike and insurrection is a little-known chapter of British history and yet remains an immensely important one in the long fight for democracy. In The Fight for Scottish Democracy, Murray Armstrong brings these events dramatically to life.

By: Murray Armstrong
Imprint: PLUTO PRESS
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm,
Weight: 251g
ISBN: 9780745341330
ISBN 10: 0745341330
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 20 April 2020
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Acknowledgements Map 1. 1820: Death on the Green 2. 1812: Overture 3. 1815: A Disputed Peace 4. 1816–17: Alarm 5. 1817: Repression 6. 1818–19: Fever 7. 1819: Peterloo 8. 1819: Radicals vs Loyalists 9. 1820: Underground 10. 1820: Address to the Inhabitants 11. 1820: Hostilities 12. 1820: Purge 13. 1820: Retribution 14. Retreat Postscript References Bibliography Index

Murray Armstrong is former associate editor at the Guardian, where he worked for over twenty years. He is the author of The Liberty Tree: The Stirring Story of Thomas Muir and Scotland's First Fight for Democracy (2014).

Reviews for The Fight for Scottish Democracy: Rebellion and Reform in 1820

'At a time when anachronistic discussions of Scottish nationalism are prevalent, Armstrong's book should prove to be an outstanding and timely contribution to literature on Scottish history on the 200th anniversary of the Radical War' -- Neil Davidson, author of 'The Origins of Scottish Nationhood' 'Intensely dramatic, impeccably detailed and narrated with literary flair, Armstrong brings to life the history of a powerful yet forgotten revolution' -- Maxine Peake, Actress and Writer 'Armstrong pulls off a masterful feat, colouring a world long gone with such vivid detail that you feel the hope, injustice and ruthless suppression of a great but unsung democratic uprising. Yet, even though the period is so powerfully re-imagined, there's no loss of historical accuracy or political drive in this excellent book' -- Lesley Riddoch, author of 'Blossom: What Scotland Needs to Flourish' 'In his book on Thomas Muir, Armstrong vividly told the story of one of Scotland's greatest sons and the radical cause. Now he does the same for those involved in the 1820 rising. It's sadly a tale that's largely been untold. But this eloquently rights that wrong' -- Kenny MacAskill, MP for East Lothian and former Cabinet Secretary for Justice