Popular Politics and Political Culture

A fresh perspective on the history of the radical left in inter-war ScotlandThis book presents a distinctive reading of inter-war Scottish politics, reinterpreting the consequences of the expanded electorate after 1918 by focusing on changing perceptions of the radical political culture of urban Scotland. It re-evaluates the factors behind the decline of the Scottish radical left in the inter-war years, demonstrating the role of changing conceptions of political representation, and explores the extent to which national party loyalties replaced local class identities. Drawing upon a range of untapped sources including local newspapers, cartoons, and contemporary accounts of demonstrations, the book illuminates the political perspectives of ordinary Scots in an age of mass democracy.Key FeaturesExamines the history of the radical left in Scotland from a new perspective, looking at the relationship between political legitimacy and identity, conduct and tacticsIlluminates the electoral failure of the radical left between the wars, emphasising changing understandings of political participation, behaviour and representationDeploys a range of untapped sources, including local newspapers, political literature, cartoons and contemporary accounts of rallies