ABSTRACT
The resilience and survival of a small community living on the most remote of the British islands over the past half century is reviewed and discussed in the context of political, economic, and social changes that have taken place in the region during that period. The chapter is based on two field studies of the island that were undertaken 50 years apart, using the same survey instrument, and the similarities and differences revealed are discussed in the broader political-economic situation. Despite little change in population numbers and basic pattern of life, there have been fundamental changes in quality of life, reflecting appropriate governance at local and regional levels, improved services reflecting the indirect benefits stemming from offshore oil and gas developments, and the growth of small-scale niche tourism which has resulted in tourism having replaced agriculture and other activities as the mainstay of the island’s economy.
