Written for the 1992 General Election, this book: examined the poor state of present-day Scotland; gave a history of the Scottish people and their relations with the rulers of England; and argued that Scotland should have a strong government elected by its own people. It is five years later and Scotland still does not have that and its state has worsened. The original chapters have been revised and largely rewritten. New chapters dealing with Scottish education, land-owning and law, and the Labour Party bring the arguments to date. Intending to persuade people who feel their vote does not much influence how their country is managed, the book emphasizes that Scottish independence does matter. Alasdair Gray is the author of Lanark and Unlikely Stories Mostly.