Arguing that nationalist sentiment can be a powerful political force for change without necessarily achieving formal sovereignty, Paterson shows how 20th-century nationalism in Scotland has been successful in setting up Scottish institutions. This comparative study also examines Catalan and Quebec.

"This extensively illustrated book - a historical overview of Scottish buildings of government and assembly from the Middle Ages to the present day - sets Scotland's new parliament in the broader context of the nation's architectural and social history. The Architecture of Scottish Government is just one of a series of authoritative books on key building types by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland - Scotland's national survey and archive of the historic built environment."--BOOK JACKET.