David M. Smale

This book is a detailed account of the Radical War in 1820s Scotland, highlighting the conditions that led to the revolt, the reaction of the government, and the impact on Scottish society. David Smale takes readers through the post-1815 mass unemployment, disaffection, and formation of radical groups calling for parliamentary reform, as a prelude to the Radical War. Using a wealth of archival material, this book readjusts existing narratives surrounding the conflict, shifting the focus away from the accounts of paid spies, and centering the little used records of the pioneering ‘new police’ force. Smale examines how police activities impacted the revolt, from the contrasting aims of pro-reformer and pro-government publications released during the time, to the activities of five ‘spy groups’ who entered the radical milieu and provided authorities with intelligence on their activities. Concluding with the key events of the revolt, including the Battle of Bonnymuir, and exploring the its after effects, such as the Lord Advocate’s conflict with police – this volume provides comprehensive analysis of the Radical War, and places it within a pan-British context.

This book examines the relationships forged between police officers and the diverse urban and rural communities in which they have lived and worked in Scotland across the twentieth century, demonstrating patterns that were diverse and variegated. It considers both the formal rhetoric (and sets of structures) that defined and prescribed the policing ideal as well as the experience of policing from a range of grassroots' perspectives. Drawing on a wealth of archival materials, oral history interviews, and memoirs, as well as previously unused primary sources, the author identifies and explains the factors that led to not only co-operation, consensus and the building of trust, but also points of tension and conflict across a century of social, political and technological change.