ABSTRACT
A new attitude to trade and industry was evident among the younger sons of the landed classes, and there was only lacking the industries and skilled workers needed to teach profitable trades “to our poor men”. In the near future, cloth manufactured in Scotland would be of as fine a quality as English cloth, and the industry was to be especially encouraged if the trade decline following the Union was to be stopped. Scottish society learnt different standards of living from its contacts with foreign countries, and became aware of a greater refinement and increasing splendour to which it was in turn compelled to aspire. Wealth and power went with the land, and in the predominantly feudal society of Scotland the nobility as the greatest holders of land wielded the greatest influence. The traditional pattern of Scottish politics was the struggle between groups of magnates for control of the means of government.
