Scotland : a suitable case for treatment

Symptoms: the initial signs of a problem. Diagnosis: analysis of the problem. Treatment: suggested solutions. Henry McLeish, former First Minister of Scotland and Tom Brown, one of Scotland's leading political commentators, are joined by eminent psychologist Anne Ellis as they follow on from their politically provocative Scotland: the Road Divides by putting Scotland on the therapist's couch. They assess what in our past has led to a present nation that is such a strange clamjamfry.

Light and dark, brash but with a constant chip on its shoulder, Scotland's Jekyll and Hyde nature is shown to have had led to serious social and political problems including anti-social behaviour, and borderline or real poverty. The first part of the book asks us 'tae see ourselves as ithers see us' and the remainder deals with how Scotland should see itself.

It asks the difficult question: Scotland - who are we?

We ourselves are typical Scots, conscious that we have our fair share of the flaws examined in this book.

Recognising our failings is the first step... We warmly encourage readers - be they policymakers or otherwise - to engage in these issues.

In this complex modern world there are no easy answers.

But we have to keep asking the questions. - TOM BROWN and HENRY McLEISH