A towering figure in the landscape of Scottish historiography, James D. Young was not merely an academic but a radical intellectual force who fundamentally reshaped how we understand Scotland’s past. With formidable erudition and unflinching political conviction, he tore down the sanitized, establishment narratives that had long dominated the field, insisting that true history is written from the bottom up.

Young championed the forgotten voices—the radicals, the working classes, the dissenters, and the marginalized. His work on Scottish socialism and the struggles of ordinary people was not an exercise in nostalgia but a powerful, relevant critique of contemporary power structures. He was a scholar-activist in the truest sense, whose Marxism provided a vital analytical framework for uncovering the deep-seated class conflicts and ideological battles that forged the nation. His intellectual rigour was matched only by his profound moral passion, arguing that understanding historical injustice is the first step toward creating a more equitable future.

Fearless, polemical, and often controversial, Young dared to challenge orthodoxies from both the left and the right, ensuring his work remained dynamic, provocative, and essential. He leaves behind a formidable legacy: a richer, more complex, and authentically democratic history of Scotland. For scholars and citizens alike, his work remains an indispensable compass, guiding us toward a deeper, more truthful engagement with our collective story.

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