Union and Empire
The Making of the United Kingdom in 1707

A major interpretation of the 1707 Act of Union and the making of the United Kingdom.

Allan I. Macinnes (Author)

9780521850797, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 6 December 2007

400 pages, 3 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.7 kg

"Allan I. Macinnes has written a book exploring a very different political world in which the Crown was still a real force, not a fig leaf on prime-ministerial power, and the House of Lords an exclusive gathering of powerful aristocratic figures, many of whom were formidable regional and political powers in their own right." -Bruce P. Lenman, H-Albion

The making of the United Kingdom in 1707 is still a matter of significant political and historical controversy. Allan Macinnes here offers a major interpretation that sets the Act of Union within a broad European and colonial context and provides a comprehensive picture of its transatlantic and transoceanic ramifications that ranged from the balance of power to the balance of trade. He reexamines English motivations from a colonial as well as a military perspective and assesses the imperial significance of the creation of the United Kingdom. He also explores afresh the commitment of some determined Scots to secure Union for political, religious and opportunist reasons and shows that rather than an act of statesmanship, the resultant Treaty of Union was the outcome of politically inept negotiations by the Scots. Union and Empire will be a major contribution to the history of Britain, empire and early modern state formation.

Part I. Setting the Scenes: 1. Introduction
2. The historiography
Part II. Varieties of Union, 1603–1707: 3. Precedents, 1603–60
4. Projects, 1661–1703
5. The Irish dimension
Part III. The Primacy of Political Economy, 1625–1707: 6. The transatlantic dimension
7. The Scottish question
8. Going Dutch?
Part IV. Party Alignments and the Passage of Union: 9. Jacobitism and the war of the British succession, 1701–5
10. Securing the Votes, 1706–7
Part V. Conclusion: 11. The Treaty of Union.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], History of ideas [JFCX], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], British & Irish history [HBJD1]