Uniquely Scottish? Placing Scottish Devolution in Theoretical Perspective

Abstract

This existing literature on the Scottish devolution process tends to stress the unique aspects of the case. I make a contribution to this literature by placing the insights that have emerged in case-study research within the context of more general theorising. Combining concepts found in the literature on political legitimacy with intuitions derived from veto player theory, I provide a structured and theoretically grounded framework of devolution decisions and nondecisions. This approach helps to place the process that eventually led to the creation of a Scottish Parliament in a wider context.