Scottish Land Restoration League facts for kids

The Scottish Land Restoration League was a political group in Scotland. It believed in an idea called Georgism. This idea suggests that land should be used for the good of everyone. It also thought that taxes on the value of land could help make society fairer.

The Story of the Scottish Land Restoration League

In the 1880s, big changes were happening in the Scottish Highlands. Land that used to be shared by communities was being fenced off. This process was called enclosure. Many people did not like this, and they fought against it. They often got help from people across Britain and Ireland who wanted big social changes.

Before the League, there was a group called the Irish Land League. It started in 1879 to fight against landlordism. This is when a few people own a lot of land and rent it out. Branches of this group were set up in Scotland. But the Irish Land League stopped working in 1883.

In 1884, an important American thinker named Henry George visited Scotland. He was invited by the English Land Reform Union. Henry George traveled through the Highlands and big cities. He was with Edward McHugh, a trade union leader. George talked about his ideas for land reform, which meant changing how land was owned and used.

His trip ended with a huge meeting in Glasgow on February 18, 1884. John Murdoch led the meeting. Almost 2,000 people signed up to support George's ideas. This happened because of Richard McGhee. This new group became the "Scottish Land Restoration League". William Forsyth became its first President. Edward McHugh was its first Secretary. The group quickly grew and spread to other cities in Scotland. Many people who had been part of the Irish Land League joined this new group.

Henry George visited Scotland again at the end of 1884. But this time, fewer people paid attention. Edward McHugh was even blamed for not doing a good job with the advertising. The League started to become less popular. In the 1885 general election, the League put forward five candidates. But they only received a total of 2,359 votes. Soon after, Richard McGhee became the President of the League.

In 1888, some members of the League, including Keir Hardie, left to form a new group. This was the Scottish Labour Party. They stopped working with the Scottish Land Restoration League. Richard McGhee also left his role in 1889. He became the honorary President of the National Union of Dock Labourers.

The next year, Alexander Bowman was chosen as the League's new President. The League then joined with two other groups: the Henry George Institute and the South Side Single Tax Association. They changed their name to the Scottish Land Restoration Federation.

Later, two more groups were formed from the old League. These were the Scottish Land Restoration Union and the Scottish League for the Taxation of Land Values. Alexander Bowman left his role in 1892. The group continued, but it was not as well-known. It changed its name again to the Scottish Single Tax League. Finally, in 1904, it was renamed one last time. It became the Scottish League for the Taxation of Land Values.

Trying to Win Elections

The Scottish Land Restoration League tried to get its ideas heard by running in elections. Here's how they did in the 1885 general election:

1885 UK General Election Results

This map shows areas in Glasgow in 1885. The green areas are where the League had candidates. Four of the five areas they tried to win were in Glasgow.

See also

• Highland Land League