The Conservative hold over Scottish civil society: evidence from the 1854 Edinburgh Pollbook

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Conservative hold over Scottish civil society

T2 - evidence from the 1854 Edinburgh Pollbook

AU - Morton, Graeme

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s). Parliamentary History published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Parliamentary History Yearbook Trust.

PY - 2026/2/27

Y1 - 2026/2/27

N2 - As a carrier of influence and governance that stands distinct from parliamentary and municipal representation, civil society has been ascribed a particular layer of criticality in the Scottish example of the stateless nation. This article examines the voting choices made at the 1852 general election by those active within Edinburgh's voluntary associations. The evidence is generated by linking subscription lists to the city's published pollbook. Set against the dominance of the Liberal vote in Scotland's urban constituencies, this research uncovers the depth of Conservative support amongst those most active in associational life. The results offer insight into the extent that associational activity projected Conservative political hegemony and questions the liberalising trajectory of civil society.

AB - As a carrier of influence and governance that stands distinct from parliamentary and municipal representation, civil society has been ascribed a particular layer of criticality in the Scottish example of the stateless nation. This article examines the voting choices made at the 1852 general election by those active within Edinburgh's voluntary associations. The evidence is generated by linking subscription lists to the city's published pollbook. Set against the dominance of the Liberal vote in Scotland's urban constituencies, this research uncovers the depth of Conservative support amongst those most active in associational life. The results offer insight into the extent that associational activity projected Conservative political hegemony and questions the liberalising trajectory of civil society.

KW - Conservatism

KW - Liberalism

KW - UK general election, 1852

KW - pollbook

KW - associations

KW - civil society

KW - Scotland

KW - Edinburgh

KW - electoral reform

KW - stateless nation

KW - middle class

KW - liberalism

KW - conservatism

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105031706154

U2 - 10.1111/1750-0206.70023

DO - 10.1111/1750-0206.70023

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105031706154

SN - 0264-2824

VL - 45

SP - 110

EP - 131

JO - Parliamentary History

JF - Parliamentary History

IS - 1

ER -