The sword of avenging justice: politics in Sutherland after the Third Reform Act

There has been much historical debate over the role of aristocratic landed families in local and national politics throughout the nineteenth century, and the
impact of the First, Second and Third Reform Acts on that role. Additionally, the period from 1881 in the Scottish Highlands was one of acute political and ideological crisis, as the debate over the reform of the Land Laws took a violent turn, and Highland landowners were forced to address the demands of their small tenants. This article addresses these debates, taking as its case-study the ducal house of Sutherland.