This thesis has three aims. First, Rosebery's career is presented and analysed with special regard to Scotland. Scotland gave him a base of support and a springboard to power and prestige. In return, he secured attention for Scottish issues and a measure of legislation to redress imbalances. Secondly, Scottish nationalism during Rosebery's prime (1868-1896) is presented and evaluated. This period represents an essential chapter in the history of Scottish nationalism, but to date it has received relatively scant attention. The unsuccessful efforts to secure Scottish Home Rule and to disestablish the Church of Scotland demonstrated both the strength and the fragility of Scottish nationalism. A summary of the national movements in Ireland and Wales is presented to provide a proper context for the discussion of Scottish nationalism. Finally, the dissertation draws together these two strands to examine Rosebery's impact on nationalism - particularly in Scotland - and the influence of national movements on Rosebery's career. To achieve these three objectives, the thesis has been structured in the following way. After a brief introduction, chapter 2 sketches Rosebery's early career concentrating on the personal and intellectual influences which shaped and defined his political identity. During the 1870s and 1880s, Rosebery forged an extensive political machine in Scotland which propelled him into prominence. Chapter 3 concludes Rosebery's political biography by focusing on his rapid rise to the premiership and his long political decline. His literary career is also addressed. Chapter 4 provides a discussion of the general theory of nationalism followed by an overview of Irish, Welsh and Scottish nationalism in the late nineteenth century. In chapter 5, Rosebery's efforts on behalf of Scotland's national cause are delineated. In addition to securing the restoration of the Secretaryship of Scotland in 1885, Rosebery reminded Britain of Scotland's distinct heritage and her contributions to the forging of Great Britain and the Empire. His achievements were both tangible and symbolic. Chapter 6 traces Rosebery's reaction to Irish and Welsh national demands, focusing on his response to the most volatile issue of his era: Irish Home Rule. Chapter 7 presents and analyses Rosebery's political ideology in general and his national ideology in particular - two subjects which have been largely neglected. Finally, chapter 8 concludes the thesis and evaluates Rosebery as a nationalist and a Scottish patriot.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:640274 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Akroyd, Robert John |
| Publisher | University of Edinburgh |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://hdl.handle.net/1842/21456 |
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