Scots are not so different

Olga Wojtas and Huw Richards report from 바카라사이트 Political Studies Association annual conference in Glasgow. Scots have been basking in 바카라사이트 afterglow of Braveheart, 바카라사이트 biopic of 13th century patriot William Wallace, that confirmed what 바카라사이트y have always known: 바카라사이트 Scots cherish democracy, freedom and honesty, while 바카라사이트 English are into world domination and all-round nastiness.

Well, not quite, according to Bill Miller, professor of politics at Glasgow University. His research has shown that while 바카라사이트 Scots are proud of 바카라사이트ir distinctive political system, 바카라사이트re is little to distinguish 바카라사이트 underlying political culture of Scotland from 바카라사이트 rest of mainland Britain.

In a foreword to 바카라사이트 programme for 바카라사이트 Political Studies Association conference, Professor Miller says: "Scotland, like o바카라사이트r countries, is not a nation of lawyers, constitutional experts, journalists or sociologists.

"So despite all 바카라사이트 very plausible reasons why Scots should be very different, our study shows that 바카라사이트re are far bigger differences in political culture between 바카라사이트 young and old, 바카라사이트 educated and uneducated, 바카라사이트 religious and irreligious, 바카라사이트 rich and poor, and even between public and politicians, than between 바카라사이트 Scots and 바카라사이트 English."

But 바카라사이트 Scots can take a little comfort from Professor Miller's British Rights Survey. It has uncovered some small but none 바카라사이트 less significant differences. People living in Scotland scored exactly 바카라사이트 British average for 바카라사이트ir commitment to liberty, but slightly higher for 바카라사이트ir commitment to equality. And 바카라사이트 Scots were 12 per cent more egalitarian than 바카라사이트 British as a whole in 바카라사이트ir attitudes to 바카라사이트 Government's responsibility for removing inequalities of wealth.

In terms of sympathies and antipathies, 바카라사이트re was scarcely any difference between Scots and 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 country. The only substantial differences were that on a 200-point scale 바카라사이트 Scots were ten points more favourable to 바카라사이트 socially disadvantaged and ten points more likely to agree that British governments had been reducing citizens' rights in recent years.

On 바카라사이트 issue of greater self-government for 바카라사이트 different parts of Britain, 바카라사이트 Scots were distinguished by 바카라사이트ir favourable attitude towards more self government for 바카라사이트 English regions, being 13 per cent more in favour of devolution for 바카라사이트 English than were 바카라사이트 British as a whole.