Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 20:31

From: Hector MacQueen

Subject: Unionists

Dear Michael

Dicey published in the probably significant year of 1920 a book called "Thoughts on the Union of England and Scotland", with a co-author in Robert Rait (historian of the pre-Union Scottish Parliament, which he thought a pretty feeble institution by comparison with the glories of Westminster, and also Principal of Glasgow University - just a coincidence). I'm sure Dicey thought more deeply about Ireland than Scotland but the book is in fact pretty good evidence for a lack of in-depth thought on both subjects. Even Dicey nods, some might think.

Apologies to the list for thus going off at a no doubt political tangent - I hereby submit myself to an Obligation to say no more on this topic on list.

Slainte
Hector

--
Hector L MacQueen
Professor of Private Law
Director, AHRC Research Centre Intellectual Property and Technology Law
Edinburgh Law School
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh EH8 9YL
UK Tel: (0)131-650-2060; Fax: (0)131-662-6317

Quoting michael furmston:

Surely most English politicians around 1900 who described themselves as Unionists were thinking of Ireland and not of Scotland. The group who followed Joseph Chamberlain out of the Liberal party over Gladstone's Home Rule policy called themselves Liberal Unionists.

<<<< Previous Message  ~  Index  ~  Next Message >>>>>