The Scottish Parliament: A Scandinavian-Style Assembly?

This book is unique in analysing the new Scottish Parliament from a systematically comparative perspective. Its basic premise is that since devolution in 1999 Scotland can be considered a Scandinavian-style democracy with several features of a Scandinavian-style parliament. The basic research question, therefore, is: 'Has the Scottish Parliament in its first four-year term manifested a Scandinavian-style politics in the sense that there has been a high incidence of inter-party negotiation within parliament?' The architects of the Scottish Parliament saw the committees as the motor of a 'new politics' and gave them extensive powers. Outside Austria, only the Swedish and Icelandic committees have comparable powers. Accordingly, the study sets out to describe and analyse the workings of the committees in the Scottish, Swedish and Icelandic parliaments. The concluding chapter also discusses the operation of the Danish, Finnish and Norwegian committees. The book draws on in-depth interviews with thechairs of the Scottish, Swedish and Icelandic committees. The first six chapters are organised around the theme 'The Scottish Parliamentary Committees. The Motor of a New Politics?' Chapters 7-10 focus on Sweden and 'Standing Committees in a Bargaining Democracy' whilst chapters 11 and 12 ask whether the Icelandic committees are a case of 'Old Politics in an Ancient Parliament'. The concluding chapter revisits the principal research question - 'Is a Scandinavian-style parliamentarism emerging in Scotland?' An epilogue analyses the May 2003 Scottish Parliament election and the likely implications for politics 'north of the border between 2003 and 2007.

David Arter is Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Aberdeen.