“Such a period was the talk of Europe. Such was a great achievement for such a small nation.” Tom Johnston, A History of Scotland. 1936. (1)
The Scottish Enlightenment.
The causes for the Scottish enlightenment were threefold including trade, education and also access to the London elite by the Scottish ruling class through Scottish colonial influences.
By the year 1750, Scotland was the most literate nation in Europe (2). The Argyll ministry had ensured a period of stability unseen in centuries and the new colony in Africa had helped ensure that, amongst young males at any rate, education was nearly universal. The spirit of the age was fostered by the Government who in 1735 passed an act creating the Scottish Royal Academy in Edinburgh (3). Its goal was to foster and develop theories in science, literature and the arts. It was given a budget to help fund and develop academia throughout the land.
The period saw such minds come to prominence as the philosopher David Hume, the economist Adam Smith, and Robert Adam who designed not only the Academy but the entirety of the Edinburgh New Town with its wide winding boulevards and grand Roman style buildings, John Sinclair(4) who was a leading light in the Argyll ministry, who effectively ran the economy, not to mention many others.
Theirs and others connected to the Edinburgh sets work penetrated far wider than the narrow confines of Scottish society.
Adam Smith saw his works, such as The theory of moral sentiments and Wealth of Nations become extremely popular not only in London but throughout European society(5). Famously, on a visit to London he was allowed to visit the Prime Minister Walpole. During their exchange he thanked Walpole for the privilege of access. The Prime Minister was said to have replied “On the contrary, I thank you sir”.(6) His theories became more or less followed by both the English and Scottish governments.
David Hume, who established the Scottish anti-slavery league (7) in protest at the Scottish colonial slave trade was a leading light in philosophy, becoming sought after throughout Europe.
In addition to this technology was beginning to advance also, as was shown in 1785 by James Watt inventing the Steam Engine (8). His legacy also helped the ever closer ruling elite in the beginnings of the industrial revolution. This a factor famously remarked upon by James Mills (9) that “By achieving independence in the manner we have, we have become so close as to become dependent on our neighbour”.
At the time it became the fashion for children of the Aristocracy and ruling classes of many throughout Europe to be educated in Scotland (10). All in all, Scotland in the eighteenth century was one of growth and development, albeit with many external influences meaning as much as a fifth of Scottish business was owned by this new, emerging Anglo-Scots nobility(11). Edinburgh, with the intellectual spirit of the day and the Romanesque new town, became known as "the Athens of the North", the question was how to continue the development.
(1) Tom Johnston in OTL was Scots Secretary from 1940-1945, and famous for his energy plans for Scotland that would bring "power to the glens". He did write a history of the common people of Scotland in otl but in this tl he has also wrote a more General history.
(2) As in OTL, where it was estimated at 75% in 1750. In this tl it is higher due to increased intervention from government. I think this is plausible as in the period leading up to the Union in Otl, the Scottish Estates passed one of the most forward looking education acts in the age. Outside the Union, I would expect this spirit to continue.
(3) Similar to the Swedish Royal Academy which was founded in 1773.
(4) OTL Politician and famous statistition. In this tl, famous both for his works and in his position in controlling Scotlands finances.
(5) I see no reason for his fortunes or position to change, given the scenario.
(6) A similar meeting and exchange occured in Otl.
(7) Never happened in Otl, but I would see him as a candidate for such a Society.
(8) Slightly later, but as in Otl. Developed in England.
(9) Father of John Stuart Mills and a philosopher in his own right.
(10) Given that more emphasis has been put on education, to encourage investment this is strongly fiscally encouraged by the Scottish Government.
(11) A result of the inrerchange between the nations economically was that the nobility of the nations intermingled as much as OTL. This led to many of the English upper-classes owning much Scottish industry.
See below, London edition of Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations.

The Scottish Enlightenment.
The causes for the Scottish enlightenment were threefold including trade, education and also access to the London elite by the Scottish ruling class through Scottish colonial influences.
By the year 1750, Scotland was the most literate nation in Europe (2). The Argyll ministry had ensured a period of stability unseen in centuries and the new colony in Africa had helped ensure that, amongst young males at any rate, education was nearly universal. The spirit of the age was fostered by the Government who in 1735 passed an act creating the Scottish Royal Academy in Edinburgh (3). Its goal was to foster and develop theories in science, literature and the arts. It was given a budget to help fund and develop academia throughout the land.
The period saw such minds come to prominence as the philosopher David Hume, the economist Adam Smith, and Robert Adam who designed not only the Academy but the entirety of the Edinburgh New Town with its wide winding boulevards and grand Roman style buildings, John Sinclair(4) who was a leading light in the Argyll ministry, who effectively ran the economy, not to mention many others.
Theirs and others connected to the Edinburgh sets work penetrated far wider than the narrow confines of Scottish society.
Adam Smith saw his works, such as The theory of moral sentiments and Wealth of Nations become extremely popular not only in London but throughout European society(5). Famously, on a visit to London he was allowed to visit the Prime Minister Walpole. During their exchange he thanked Walpole for the privilege of access. The Prime Minister was said to have replied “On the contrary, I thank you sir”.(6) His theories became more or less followed by both the English and Scottish governments.
David Hume, who established the Scottish anti-slavery league (7) in protest at the Scottish colonial slave trade was a leading light in philosophy, becoming sought after throughout Europe.
In addition to this technology was beginning to advance also, as was shown in 1785 by James Watt inventing the Steam Engine (8). His legacy also helped the ever closer ruling elite in the beginnings of the industrial revolution. This a factor famously remarked upon by James Mills (9) that “By achieving independence in the manner we have, we have become so close as to become dependent on our neighbour”.
At the time it became the fashion for children of the Aristocracy and ruling classes of many throughout Europe to be educated in Scotland (10). All in all, Scotland in the eighteenth century was one of growth and development, albeit with many external influences meaning as much as a fifth of Scottish business was owned by this new, emerging Anglo-Scots nobility(11). Edinburgh, with the intellectual spirit of the day and the Romanesque new town, became known as "the Athens of the North", the question was how to continue the development.
(1) Tom Johnston in OTL was Scots Secretary from 1940-1945, and famous for his energy plans for Scotland that would bring "power to the glens". He did write a history of the common people of Scotland in otl but in this tl he has also wrote a more General history.
(2) As in OTL, where it was estimated at 75% in 1750. In this tl it is higher due to increased intervention from government. I think this is plausible as in the period leading up to the Union in Otl, the Scottish Estates passed one of the most forward looking education acts in the age. Outside the Union, I would expect this spirit to continue.
(3) Similar to the Swedish Royal Academy which was founded in 1773.
(4) OTL Politician and famous statistition. In this tl, famous both for his works and in his position in controlling Scotlands finances.
(5) I see no reason for his fortunes or position to change, given the scenario.
(6) A similar meeting and exchange occured in Otl.
(7) Never happened in Otl, but I would see him as a candidate for such a Society.
(8) Slightly later, but as in Otl. Developed in England.
(9) Father of John Stuart Mills and a philosopher in his own right.
(10) Given that more emphasis has been put on education, to encourage investment this is strongly fiscally encouraged by the Scottish Government.
(11) A result of the inrerchange between the nations economically was that the nobility of the nations intermingled as much as OTL. This led to many of the English upper-classes owning much Scottish industry.
See below, London edition of Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations.



