This book is essential reading not only for those interested in Scottish education – a fascinating story in its own right – but for all those committed to building education systems that meet our democratic and egalitarian ideals.
- Adam Gamoran, William T. Grant Foundation,
With an uncommon combination of quantitative rigour and lucid, humane prose, Lindsay Paterson weighs up Scottish claims to have cultivated the "democratic intellect". Has Scotland succeeded in delivering a broad, liberal education to all? The answer, defined and qualified in ways illuminating to policymakers as well as students and scholars, is yes.
- Peter Mandler, University of Cambridge,
goes well beyond... familiar claims and the counter-claims of sceptics. Paterson’s thesis is more nuanced, more qualified, more rigorous and thus more challenging—intellectually and personally.
- Catriona M. M. MacDonald, University of Glasgow, The Scottish Historical Review
[a] remarkable new study... with a detailed analysis of statistical evidence that is genuinely exciting
- James McGonigal, emeritus professor of English in Education at Glasgow University, History Scotland