The Case for Left Wing Nationalism: And Other Essays

Spanning four politically and socially tumultuous decades, Stephen Maxwell’s writings explore the origins and development of the modern Scottish Nationalist movement. As an instrumental member of the SNP and a life-long socialist, Maxwell’s work provides an engaging contemporary insight into the debate over Scottish independence, setting out a clear ideological and practical arguments for a socially just Scotland. The Case for Left Wing Nationalism – Maxwell’s seminal 1981 pamphlet – considers the historical and cultural roots of Scottish national identity and stresses the importance of a realistic understanding of the past as the basis of a more prosperous, independent future. It concludes with Hugh MacDiarmid’s prescription for a Scottish renaissance: Not Traditions – Precedents.