![Flag of Scotland](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg)
Scottish republicanism ( gd, Poblachdas na h-Alba) is an ideology based on the belief that Scotland should be a
republic, as opposed to being under the
monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Baili ...
. Usually, this proposal takes the form of
Scottish nationalism
Scottish nationalism promotes the idea that the Scottish people form a cohesive nation and national identity.
Scottish nationalism began to shape from 1853 with the National Association for the Vindication of Scottish Rights, progressing into t ...
and activism for
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
, but it is also occasionally found in discussions of
changing the system of government of the United Kingdom as a whole in such a manner as to replace
the monarch with an
elected official as head of state.
History
Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun
Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun (1655 – September 1716) was a Scottish writer and politician, remembered as an advocate for the non-incorporation of Scotland, and an opponent of the 1707 Act of Union between Scotland and England. Fletcher became ...
is one of the most prominent pre-Union advocates of a Scottish republic, based on agrarian and patriarchal principles.
He was a major inspiration to
Scottish Enlightenment philosopher
Adam Ferguson
Adam Ferguson, (Scottish Gaelic: ''Adhamh MacFhearghais''), also known as Ferguson of Raith (1 July N.S./20 June O.S. 1723 – 22 February 1816), was a Scottish philosopher and historian of the Scottish Enlightenment.
Ferguson was sympathet ...
, whose republican ideals were penned down in ''
An Essay on the History of Civil Society
''An Essay on the History of Civil Society'' is a book by Scottish Enlightenment philosopher Adam Ferguson, first published in 1767. The ''Essay'' established Ferguson's reputation in Britain and throughout Europe. In the second section of the th ...
'' (1767).
[
One of the foremost documentations of modern Scottish republicanism is the Declaration of Calton Hill, proclaimed on 9 October 2004, the same day that Queen ]Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
opened the new Scottish Parliament Building
; sco, Scots Pairlament Biggin
, native_name_lang =
, former_names =
, alternate_names = Holyrood
, image = Scottish Parliament building - geograph.org.uk - 2469654.jpg
, image_alt =
, caption ...
at Holyrood.
In the run-up to the 2014 independence referendum, the Radical Independence Campaign
The Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) is a grassroots organisation which advocates for Scotland to become a republic, independent of the United Kingdom.
It was established in 2012 in the run-up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, in ...
advocated an independent Scottish republic with an elected head of state, instead of the continued union of crowns established with the English monarchy, predating the Acts of Union.
Ahead of the Accession declaration of Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person t ...
at Mercat Cross in Edinburgh on 11 September 2022, the campaign group Our Republic stated "We encourage those with objections to these proclamations to make those clear". The members voiced their opposition to the new King through booing, turning their backs and shouting “no consent”, and holding up anti-Monarchy slogans during the Lord Lyon King of Arms's declaration. They were briefly detained by Police Scotland
Police Scotland ( gd, Poileas Alba), officially the Police Service of Scotland (), is the national police force of Scotland. It was formed in 2013, through the merging of eight regional police forces in Scotland, as well as the specialist service ...
before being released. One protester was later again arrested and charged under "Breach of the Peace".
Republicanism within the independence movement
Many people who advocate Scotland becoming a republic do so through their support for Scottish independence. This would entail Scotland becoming independent from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and instead of continuing the Union of the Crowns
The Union of the Crowns ( gd, Aonadh nan Crùintean; sco, Union o the Crouns) was the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I and the practical unification of some functions (such as overseas dip ...
that predate the political union, a republic would be formed, with an elected Head of State assuming the role of the deposed monarch.
Scotland's largest pro-independence party, the Scottish National Party, favours retaining the monarchy as a Commonwealth realm similar to the situation in other crown countries like Canada, Australia and New Zealand. However, the party has a number of prominent republican members, including Roseanna Cunningham
Roseanna Cunningham (born 27 July 1951) is a retired Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform from 2016 to 2021. She was previously Cabinet Secretary for Fair Wor ...
and Tommy Sheppard.
The Scottish National Party proposes that in the event of independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
, the presiding officer's post be replaced with that of chancellor of Scotland. In addition to presiding over the Scottish Parliament, the chancellor would possess additional constitutional powers during the absence of the monarch from Scotland; chiefly, the chancellor should act in a role similar to a governor-general in the other Commonwealth realms.
Most of the others major political parties and organisations that advocate Scottish independence also advocate Scotland becoming an independent republic. These include:
* Scottish Greens
The Scottish Greens (also known as the Scottish Green Party; gd, Pàrtaidh Uaine na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Green Pairtie) are a green political party in Scotland. The party has seven MSPs in the Scottish Parliament as of May 2021. As of the 2 ...
* Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP; gd, Pàrtaidh Sòisealach na h-Alba; sco, Scots Socialist Pairtie) is a left-wing political party campaigning for the establishment of an independent socialist Scotland.
The party was founded in 1998. It c ...
* Alba Party
The Alba Party is a Scottish nationalist and pro-independence political party in Scotland. The party was founded in February 2021, with Alex Salmond (a former first minister of Scotland) announced as party leader shortly thereafter. Salmond lau ...
* Scottish Republican Socialist Movement
The Scottish Republican Socialist Movement (SRSM) is a political organisation that was formed out of the now defunct Scottish Republican Socialist Party (SRSP), a political party that operated in Scotland.
The SRSM campaigns for Scottish inde ...
* Radical Independence Campaign
The Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) is a grassroots organisation which advocates for Scotland to become a republic, independent of the United Kingdom.
It was established in 2012 in the run-up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, in ...
* Our Republic (cross-constitutional campaign group)
British republicanism
Another concept for Scotland becoming a republic is through reform of the United Kingdom's constitutional status from a constitutional monarchy to a republican constitution. There is not an explicit link with British unionism, as this tends to advocate the Union of Crowns. This is a form of British republicanism which is supported by English politicians such as Dennis Skinner
Dennis Edward Skinner (born 11 February 1932) is a British former politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolsover for 49 years, from 1970 to 2019. He is a member of the Labour Party.
Known for his left-wing views and acerbic w ...
and Jeremy Corbyn
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. On the political left of the Labour Party, Corbyn describes himself as a socialist ...
, and advocacy groups such as Republic. There is no mainstream support for this concept in any Scottish political parties, and it remains a personal position, unlike support for an independent Scottish republic which does have party support.
Adam Tomkins
Adam Tomkins (born 28 June 1969) is a British academic and politician who is the John Millar Professor of Public Law at the University of Glasgow School of Law. A member of the Scottish Conservatives, he was a Member of the Scottish Parliament ...
is an example of a republican who supports a reformed Britain without monarchy, however his opinion shifted after being elected for the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party who are ardent supporters of the monarchy. Another example is Scottish Labour MSPs Katy Clark and Mercedes Villalba
Mercedes Villalba is a Scottish Labour politician who has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for North East Scotland since May 2021.
Background
Villalba is originally from Bristol, England. She settled in Dundee and was a shop ste ...
who advocate for abolishing the Monarchy across the UK as well as radical constitutional reform. The Scottish campaign group Our Republic also contains several members who support Scotland remaining in a reformed Union.
Opinion polling
Polling on the British monarchy with Scotland as part of the UK
Polling on the British monarchy if Scotland becomes independent
See also
Scotland
* Politics of Scotland
The politics of Scotland operate within the constitution of the United Kingdom, of which Scotland is a home nation. Scotland is a democracy, being represented in both the Scottish Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom since the S ...
* Our Republic (Scotland)
* Politics of Scotland
The politics of Scotland operate within the constitution of the United Kingdom, of which Scotland is a home nation. Scotland is a democracy, being represented in both the Scottish Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom since the S ...
Other
* Welsh republicanism
* Republic (political organisation)
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th ...
* Republicanism in the United Kingdom
Republicanism in the United Kingdom is the political movement that seeks to replace the United Kingdom's monarchy with a republic. Supporters of the movement, called republicans, support alternative forms of governance to a monarchy, such as an e ...
* Labour for a Republic
Republicanism in the United Kingdom is the political movement that seeks to replace the United Kingdom's monarchy with a republic. Supporters of the movement, called republicans, support alternative forms of governance to a monarchy, such as an ...
* List of advocates of republicanism in the United Kingdom
Supporters of republicanism in the United Kingdom—replacing the country's monarchy with a republic—typically favour an elected head of state to a constitutional monarch who heads the British royal family.
Individuals (living) Politicians ...
References
{{Republicanism
Republicanism in the United Kingdom
Separatism in the United Kingdom
Scottish independence