Scotland

"Of all the small nations on earth, perhaps only the ancient Greeks surpass the Scots in their contribution to mankind."
Winston Churchill

    Scotland's history is rich, varied and colorful. Its people have traveled the world, spreading a first-class reputation for education, inventiveness, and innovation. At home these qualities continue to be developed through a rich mix of culture and education throughout the country.
    Scotland is a vibrant, exciting country, with a wide range of cultures and an extraordinarily rich heritage. In southern Scotland, the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century brought flourishing towns, expanding populations, and the creation of industries such as cotton and shipbuilding, as well as booming trade. The spread of urban life coincided with an intellectual flowering - the Scottish Enlightenment - personified by the poet Robert Burns, the philosopher David Hume and the political economist Adam Smith.
    Cities grew even bigger following one of the bleakest historical events - the Highland Clearances - when thousands were evicted from their rented crofts and the mass migration of Scots to other parts of the world began. Scots emigrated to North America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, taking with them their reputation for prudence and hard work. In time this reputation meant that Scots were increasingly recruited to spearhead industrial development in the new world.
    It could be argued that Scotland's national character has been shaped, more than any other factor, by their climate. In a land where nature can be as pitiless as it can be beautiful, the Scots are a hard-working people who, by and large, possess an intellectual rigor.
    A healthy skepticism or a tenacious questioning of things often manifests this, which leads, in turn, to a precision of thinking, speaking and action. It's one of the reasons that medicine, law, finance and engineering have traditionally been such strong disciplines in Scotland - and why technology and science thrive in Scotland today. Sometimes these characteristics are summed up by the word ‘canny' (meaning shrewd), but shrewdness is only part of this intellectual profile.
     Education and a strong work ethic are balanced by a deep-rooted love of a good party. Join in a reel at a traditional ceilidh, go to a Burns Supper or - best of all - come to Scotland for Hogmanay (New Year's Eve) to enjoy the 'crack' (the Scots version of joie de vivre) for yourself.    more >>