In the post-war period, Scotland's economic transformation owed much to the influx of foreign companies, and was subject to the ebb and flow of global capitalism. In truth, the vast majority of Scots owe their allegiance to national (Scottish) identity, rather than the state (British) variety. The fact that only four in 100 born and living in Scotland give priority to being British over being Scottish is surely a change from the experiences and aspirations of their parents and grandparents. Warfare no longer binds Scots into being British, and the long process of dismantling the welfare state...

In the post-war period, Scotland's economic transformation owed much to the influx of foreign companies, and was subject to the ebb and flow of global capitalism. In truth, the vast majority of Scots owe their allegiance to national (Scottish) identity, rather than the state (British) variety. The fact that only four in 100 born and living in Scotland give priority to being British over being Scottish is surely a change from the experiences and aspirations of their parents and grandparents. Warfare no longer binds Scots into being British, and the long process of dismantling the welfare state begun by Margaret Thatcher and the neo-liberals shows no sign of retreating. Above all, the recovery of a parliament at the cusp of the new century is surely the mark of modern Scotland, and lying behind it, the assertion of Home Rule and more self-government. Demography is manifestly connected to patterns of social inequality and social class. This article explores Scotland's demography, its social stratification, and its social values and attitudes since the mid-1980s.