ABSTRACT
Even in the modern era, surveys and reports have apparently supported the proposition that Scotland is a violent nation and the Scots, a violent people. Indeed, one account produced by the United Nations in 2005, offered data which indicated that Scotland, at that time, was the most violent country in the developed world. Whilst there is evidence to suggest that the early Scots could be fatally fractious on occasion and they undoubtedly did engage in bloodshed and brutality from time to time, such behaviour was not as endemic or as serious as early commentators suggested. Law, rationality and discipline were seen as crucial elements of Scotland's Enlightenment culture, as at least in theory, they enabled and encouraged the formation of a more civilised and sophisticated society. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
