Scotland has one of the most concentrated patterns of private land ownership in the developed world; just 450 people own over half of the private land in Scotland. This entitlement has survived un-challenged for 500 years, a privilege that has its roots in royal favours and aristocratic archetypes
Land reform should be viewed as a vital strategy to combat the social issues at the heart of Scotland’s future. Scotland is a nation built on resilience, but the ability to bounce back from adversity is worthless if you don’t have the tools to create a meaningful future. With the proliferation of remote working, a national housing shortage and young people moving away from more traditional career paths the vision of rural re-population is becoming a reality.
This isn’t about reparations for historical injustices nor is it about persecuting those wealthy enough to afford Highland estates. It’s about sustainable development, it’s about economic control, it’s about fostering autonomy for our rural communities and allowing them to flourish creatively in both social and economic enterprises.