In the grand history of land and ownership there are many tales of woe and triumph. Andy Wightman’s The Poor had No Lawyers: Who Owns Scotland and How They Got It tells a tale from across the pond.
from goodreads:
An exploration into Scotland’s history to find out how and why landowners got their hands on the millions of acres of land that were once held in common, The Poor Had No Lawyers tells the story of how Scotland’s legal establishment and politicians managed to appropriate land through legal fixes. From Robert the Bruce to Willie Ross and James V to Donald Dewar, land has long-conferred political and economic power: but How was it acquired? What happened to all the common land? and Can the public reclaim the land that was once theirs? This updated edition answers these questions and considers current attempts to redistribute this power more equitably, the implications of the recent debt-fueled housing bubble, and the difference—if any—Scottish Parliament has made on the issue. The definitive work on the subject of Scottish land ownership, this book provides a fascinating analysis of one the most important political topics in Scotland.
Also from Andy Wightman: The Land of Scotland and The Common Good
