- The 1764 Jacobite defeat at Culloden left Scotland divided and bankrupt. A Scottish diaspora throughout the colonial British empire (e.g. Culloden plantation on Jamaica), including Jacobite exilees, played a key part in building a rich, confident Scotland. Instead of fatal religious fanaticism, enlightened capitalist modernity was successfully adopted in science, overseas commerce, industry and society by self-made Scots, as studied by Adam Smith. Glasgow became their leading, opulent merchant port city, exploiting the colonies. Its small rich elite owning everything and wretched masses soon awoke literate protest against inequality at home and merciless slavery. Both helped sparkle the American Revolution.—KGF Vissers
- After the disaster of Culloden in 1746, many Scots emigrated - or fled - to the New World to start new lives. One of those was John Wetherburn who, at 17, fled to Jamaica and established himself as a successful sugar merchant. In fact, Scots came to dominate many aspects of trade after the war of 1756 - a war that lasted 7 years and one in which Britain prevailed. Glasgow merchants came to dominate the tobacco industry and plantation owners practiced 'commerce without conscience', not only in monopolizing prices but also by using slavery as the basis of their workforce. Another Scot to make his mark was Adam Smith whose economic theories formed the basis of modern capitalism.—garykmcd
- Scotland is transformed into a wealthy commercial hub in the wake of the Jacobite wars. This triggers a new internal struggle for the future of Scotland. Should it look back into a Christian past or forwards to a Capitalist future? Five men come to define the ever changing nature of Scotland in the 18th century; the tobacco merchant-prince William Cunningham, the minister John Witherspoon, ex-Jacobite turned sugar plantation owner John Wedderburn, his ex-slave boy Joseph Knight and the economist Adam Smith.
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