Substantially revised and rewritten in the light of the 1997 General Election and Devolution referendum, the 2nd edition of this widely-used text provides an up-to-date assessment of Scottish politics under Blair and the likely impact of the new Scottish Parliament. The book focuses in particular on Scotland's constitutional position within the UK; its system of policy making; the nature of the Scottish economy; and the changing patterns of party electoral and grass roots politics. An important feature is its focus throughout on the relationship between culture, identity and ethnicity and...

Social democracy is in office almost nowhere in Europe and appears bereft of ideas in the face of the economic crisis that might have given it a historic opportunity. So is social democracy dead?
The contributors to this book take a stand against those who claim that social democracy has reached its end. By arguing that social democracy is not a single set of ideas or practices but a way of reconciling market capitalism with social inclusion and equality, they show that it has actually been remarkably successful during the 20th century. Its key principles are still relevant but must be...