Only struggle can advance housing rights, as the history of social class and housing in Scotland shows.
History should serve as a lesson to those in charge of housing in Scotland. The Scottish working class’ ability to endure suffering is remarkable and can be attributed to a strong sense of community and a shared identity. However, this tolerance is not unlimited; eventually the horse bucks and as we have seen, it can buck hard. While the working class in Scotland has come a long way since the days of the single-end, significant challenges remain and if the powers that be continue to neglect the growing crisis in rents, debt and other growing costs in the rental market, then they do so on borrowed time. Thatcher may have decimated the strong links between housing, the unions and industrial organisation and our houses now are coated in off-white shades of brown and grey instead of soot – but the discontent is still there. Scotland’s housing movement is growing – continuing to delay even the smallest relief will only see it grow until it cannot be ignored.