Professor ted curran from his home in the southwest of scotland to let us understand some of the real historical significance behind the 700 year old document take care and tell us what was going on when this declaration of a pro for this letter to the pope what was happening and 1320. 00 that the declaration. Well i think the major issue is that what was not happening because robert bruce had been around for a long time fighting for the kingship kid when i ask huge victory of the bottle abundant bottom than 1514 and that bottle with was still colossal that he should have brought him whatever he wanted because he defeated the english all heartedly however the king of england they were the 2nd at the time refused to really to recognize british east and right to be regarded as king of scots and any desperation bruce arranged for this letter to be sent to the pope and having the old saying put some heat on edward in england to get him to recognise my title so was an affair. An evil pieta complet full of the bush family or i robin to back them up well i think it was 2 things of course anything that would support of the bruce family was the same show to bruce himself but on the other side i think bruce who had quite High Aspirations i mean what he was trying to do after the difficulties of the past no member of us had been going on since 1286 m. And after these difficulties what he wanted to do was to think about what would be the best kind of kingdom for himself to create and out of that came some of the rhetoric that appears in the declaration that a language is beautiful and the declaration that repl attributed to band of the limits of the chancellor of scotland the abbot of a broken well its extraordinary and then the poet and the clean the self thought that comes for that how do we explain. Or one explanation as that when you were writing to the pope in this period you had to use the people cooler shoes and the people cooler shoes means a kind of fancy way of writing you had to write a we that would keep the pope is listening to umpteen petitions every day hes falling asleep so what do you want to do you want to see things that are going to weaken him up and think a great idea i never had. Before least of all from somebody and a remote place like scotland. And how important was that you know the almost the political means of the document saying listen the scots have been here for a long time with one called of the people out a lineage of history is as great of them not of that the english is not very much art of that that the medieval mind its part of the propaganda and. And you know one can see that at some great idea they live the legend the other religions in scotland whatever score to the daughter of pharaoh and that again suggests that this got to end way back in the picts were supposed to be descended from other ancient peoples probably around it came across there maybe even an aliyah so its great propaganda to say that yet theyre specially chosen by god and because the preacher in st was a 100 and under was the 1st of the disciples to meet christ i was also good pope good publicity as far as bruce was concerned. Attended were going to have a clue specifically it to us that the concepts and the declaration to get you know and tap a taste of them 1st in those us phrase splits basically looks like some of them john the divine will you know said all people are created equal whether they be greek of jew a start so they wish this is quiete an unusual concept is it not so for a medieval document i mean whether scott says outlets that. Looking or was this part of the propaganda game well it could be part of the propaganda game of course and there i wouldnt think the scots are any more altruistic than anybody else but what hes actually trying to do it here is to shame the pope into saying listen pope you are responsible for this violence you are responsible for not helping us out and there came a war with the english and all are created equal in that sense you just have just as much responsibility for the welfare of this court as for the english on the french or anybody else and lets have a look at the 2nd and probably the most interesting concept of all and the document 1st lets have a listen to it. Yet this flotilla that should give up what he has become seeking to make us what our kingdom subjects to the king of england or the english we should exert ourselves at once to try things out as our enemy and to subvert of his own right and ours and to make some other man who is barely able to defend us came. Out. So in many ways this is the beginning of the document that the best as the wrestles with seems to suggest some form of contractual government or even populist sovereignty which offended by any modern concept was beveled to lead to hundreds of years before i dont when i was actually pointing the way to the the modern concepts of democracy where all it sounds impossible but you know what that something latest should arise and how we country in the north beyond which there is no dwelling place at all d as a document says but i believe and this is the 1st that we have and actually explicit reference to the contractual theory a monarchy if you will in anywhere anywhere at all it isnt a great moment based in Scottish History i think its the beginning of the silver until the people and i think that theres theres some evidence to back up but its in its own rate its at a tremendous thing that there was a lot of scots trying to work over the question of where that ultimate sovereignty in the chips lie was at that people see where the continent also was of the people where was it and i think that some of this comes out and in this idea of popular sovereignty that that bruce is suggesting and how would you rate professor cohen this document and terms of what old or european importance fos the world a portal should have me right up there with that some of the great decorations the history. I think it should be and damn it i recent am i think its very good that its not one that you know extra west or very absolutely crucial documents that say thats exactly where it belongs i wouldnt want to claim that this had a huge influence on the rest of europe but you know you never know we were in the medieval period we have so little to go on in there you know you have to really. d quis as much information as you kind of whatever references you actually have a professor cullen is quite strongly that the best 705 s. It was going to be that the centerpiece of of modern demonstrations for scholars in the past presumably will now take place next year god willing but how quickly has that the idea of buying the declaration gallop pace over the last few years as a something has come of the blue a something that has been gaining ground for a while has been getting going for quite a bit it was a big coming point 3 was i think the the a 1st appearance and the 1st translation into english of the document in there and 161819 and the glorious revolution and after that the breakthrough i think came in 1970 when there was clear in interest in the whole thing and you will remember that was healthy and of of events that were taking place around and great things have crew and since then and quite a big we for good or ill to the states and canada and all over the place and then of course it was a capsulated and a Us Senate Resolution and was to be said that was quite a sight on the cap of scotland for the us senate to look upon the declaration of a broth as an inspiration of the desolation of american independence. It was remarkable and i think you and i were orphan washington at it again when the 1st of these celebrations to place with scott of the year and all the rest of it and they unbelieving traceable over here in scotland we thought this was a lot are known since senator trent lott and Majority Senate senator and that and then at washington and of course the influence by the way of a movement for grief taught by one mel gibson how do you think with community of the now. 20 with a for the god did it impact the damn letter its having today i think that he would have been very happy and at that notion that there were that this was being courted but then we must recall that they were talking about human universals for so long as a 100 of us remain alive we shall Never Surrender it is not for glory not riches not on earth that were fighting but for freedom alone which no honest passon will lose but with life itself nobody can really argue with that statement its i can appeal to freedom its an appeal to inclusion its an appeal which doesnt hold and i think thats the important point here its something that appeals what i would wait as a ted cowen thank you very much indeed. Thank you joining us after the break when we talked to the the signal she know wellington the lady who electrified the opening of the Scottish Parliament by a 2nd robot bubs back in 1009 about the cultural significance of the declaration of arbroath and to billy k. Of the commentator about why its still having an impact and modern politics in Scotland Join us and. Im going to fulfill the repeated purposes ok probably to the people i promise to be you know with all pots to. Be a. Pretty. Much. Pretty good burka now you want to work. No. Longer. Paul. And his community there are people who believe that its ok to sell fraction food on my table its really hard there are no jobs and you see that i got kids and ask and as a parent. I can come up with lots of arguments theres a lot of conflict in the game between the 2 most of the conflicts i would say over balls around money and most of them money is made. Close one on each of those he knows each other this could be used as the state of california known to make 6000000000. 00 a year of prison complex and get some 20 a life where. You dont care and one of my hair is a monster so your hair might anything. Welcome back now there was a star missed the start of course in the films of the declaration or bravo what did it mean to the scottish culture i spoke to sheena wellington on the phone from a home in dandy wellington famously. Rubber bubbles to the opening of the Scottish Parliament 999 i want to ask you how they can impact the declaration of arbroath on the whole period of bruce and wallace havent they the folk to talk for all bible scotland in the 1960 s. And seventys i think it was actually stronger than people give it credit for i think there was a sense of growing identity in what you might call the border babies as they came of age and there were lots of things happening including a lot of and and a kind of feeling that scotland had a government at that time which had been elected in 1959 where they voted for. Them i think there was a sense that it was time we stood up and made those views known. So its quite interesting phenomenon was that because Scottish History was starting to the study of the declaration of arbroath the period of the was when the band was very seriously scottish politics was starting to change with the initial rise of the s. M. C. In the 1960 s. And fitting into the cultural and music revival it seems strange for a Little National audience that certain songs of this period to be recognizable to the people colored again to the the boston providence to the west and to folk for cats but that was the case wasnt it was really and what we found i think what was found in the fall providing for was the same that we did have a culture which was not to hans 1st take the blue the blue some but found very pretty which was what weve been presented with here to fort that was a kind of rough. Scottish metal that had come from. Years past and had always been there associated well i think when youre part of the great music culture of the bible of the 1970 s. In scotland did you ever for one second think you would end up so you know in front of the dignitaries and new elected members of a reconvene Scottish Parliament made debate tonight well Scottish Parliament was a was a dream that we all had i think and i never thought i would actually end up singing there but it was a great boost to the selfconfidence of i think the cultural scene in scotland and it was a tremendous honor for me to know where we could be thank you very much indeed thank you but it come to. Follow 7 that. So they are brought back a nation thats been very important for the revival of a Scottish History. Its been important for the great cultural revival in scotland in the 1970 s. Anonymous but can it really still have political think never comes. To billy king who stuffed on a a serious on the b. B. C. Sounds on the declaration of arbroath but mckay i we really can we really think that a 100 year old document is still having an impact on models got absolutely its one of the foundations of the nation its called the pedigree or the nation by one of the historians and it still has tremendous significance a this is the 700000 of our city on the 650th and it s. Which coincided with the 1st we what im scottish nationalism you could see the stop loss meant at that time was so scared of the declaration of the truth of the try to plead out in the celebrations of it and theres a famous incident during the celebration when the secretary of state for scotland will you know us was doing of reading and a theme a scottish nationalist went straight up i descended to me and showed it out hypocrites much to applause from the nationalists and the audience at the same event you had people heckling the dissent of many who want loyalists and unionists some things never teach and scotty to cite it i think they had enough jason to the fact that it was a lift up to the book and day thread that period it began to take on significance and it began to be recognized and as an important important document to modern nationalist theres a song from up period which way it has to the man who took the oath that declaration obamas birth freedom and right of course is both new english subjugation so for more than nationalism it is wrong bells because it was an International Document it was steeped in european history and scotland it was reached out to europe and not to be set times and with nationalism and internationalism. But ok im going to explain something to an International Audience so many people are watching mosul and america will know that the American Senate copulated it will the 6 tartan day because of that was a bit of the the ceiling of the declaration of arbroath but many people in scotland were to prove the idea that the declaration of war brought was an inspiration from a back waste of independence and america how can it be that people in america think that but many people in scotland tend to to run down that idea well this is they are actual Senate Resolution it was 6 has a special significance for all americans and especially those americans of scottish descent because the declaration of our birth the scottish declaration of independence was signed to the process 1320 and the american declaration of independence was mortal and inspirational document thats good enough and be our best in the pv it that the american declaration was signed there was a huge scottish influence the American Society or the unit estes like princeton call it was a Presbyterian College funded by money from scotland its principle wetherspoon same the medic and declaration of independence others lay jeems well since saying that these men were steeped in their the boots in the works of the scots and later met the would be oh were of the declaration of ruth. I mean the document obviously but it does have some very modern concepts at least so its kept me the idea of contractual government or perhaps even popular sovereignty ramus through that the equality among nations is something that International Authority of captain 20 of the pope john the 22nd of course now in the United Nations that would be these are many model concept an extraordinary thing but end their studies of you find any other medieval documents and you know puts which. Going to the same soccer american concepts i dont think so i think it was unique in that there were certain political things going on at the time a which also need to understand that cohen saved for example the english head of another 1000000000 in the wings the son of john helio and the abbess but it got him to overtake bruce so that clause about getting rid of any king if he if he didnt support that independence was also a date that the english unjoin be illegal if you force another came upon us well get rid of him too so thats not bet i think there always has been an egalitarian principle in the scottish intellectual history he was the king of score its not the king of scotland so i think its him with imbued and with him baby got to go to his study and this is really the beginning of it this concept of the community of the realm where we took thompsons dns a mines a month all of us and some people would see and be romantic but did it as in black 8. 30 and lets celebrate that. Theres a bottle on class about how long did it take declaration to get to. A papacy that was no email amused the way when my daughter will buy by a fast car once i got the promise with the stop the logic of what it was it would have been taken by by ship and then over the line and would have taken several weeks to get there then several weeks that a spore and so was a very very slow process a in my program theres a lovely sequence by the Alexander Mccall smith from one of his scotland street novels someone recognizes the declaration of the truth and the characters in the novel says im sure the pope didnt get very many latest from not approved and did so yes bit its good this International Residence is going. Still a resonance but its also the its also part of a history to be i mean tough to india is being celebrated to be in york i was the year last year and did its been celebrated thats the thing about the declaration for example is a wonderful story with the russian connection russian language connection in the program we have becky smith who would have become of the jacques debates in russia was hitchhiking sori was hiking in the north Caucasus Mountains with her family this is a few years 2014 and the Border Guards showed and russian we are you from and she replies and russian were from scotland the family were and they didnt behind that hes a liar and began a conversation with the gods give them something to drink and give them something to eat and to bikies astonishment the border guard quoted the fema slangs from the declaration of the earth he was a georgian he did to fight with scotland because scotland lay georgia had a lot to me about which was always aloof and scotland and georgia were always looking over their shoulder at that lots of nida in a such a poignant story and the shoes that you know even and not the north Caucasus Mountains so when a soldier could quote from the declaration of a breath of course i havent been overtaken by this new global imagines and then it was going to be a boon to rally this week and i broke will be the modern independence motto for claiming manhood deprivation laos as a source of inspiration you fight let one know what all gets back onto its access that were going to see that sort of connection between lesser starting document and the push for independence and the scotland of today absolutely all of the celebrations are sport is going to happen i was duty the part of the coin set or inside of me which involves you know ellington. And involve the bank will be about. Ali have and various people who were celebrating the declaration of the truth and i will go ahead no on the 701st and of their city and they should do because its such an important iconic document and scottys history would have been tragic if it wasnt celebrated but fortunately through leslie thats fine film and through my fee part to a radio documentary at least people can arks ace this document and realize what it meant to scotland and what its meant to the world and last label the cape the community of the realm back 1320 this phrase which seems to go beyond the usual creedal hierarchy you know how to do that with the community of the realm of thought 700 years later the cost of scholars of the battles will still be promulgated and people were looking back to their declaration but that would be a bit of a feel i think of that of said goodyear sale hold for a court go and keep the flame alive and make sure you went back again only kay thank you so much thank you. The declaration of roe for 700 years old it is a medieval document it was sealed not assigned it was an email to avignon it went by ship and by horse and 2 weeks to get there before all the ancient document is very modern and its concept firstly its sophisticated and all the stuff about the history of the scots as they are for the purpose thats there stablished the credentials of scotland got here before the english according to the declaration the languages or that it tells a cop but the roman historian solace that quotes from said john the divine that all people are created equal the main support for that should be the case these are interesting concepts but even more interesting is 2 things about the document 1st leg seems to go beyond the the usual feudal medieval cast list of the barnes and nobles good king robert the cleric who wrote the document it talks about something called the community of the realm of the community of the realm cant be the feudal caste less so as to be Something Else sort of embracing that was something beyond that the something which we covered with the people and then most revolutionary of all as suggest what the people the community of the realm might do if good lord robert doesnt come up to snuff and doesnt fulfil what hes made to do doesnt protect scotland against the english then theyll get rid of him and get someone else and that seems to be some sort of look at a contractual relationship between the government and the government of what we might term in modern days popular sovereignty and that is a concept which in the modern world has decided the fate of nations as a concept which might still the say the fate of scott. So from cosmos elf and all of the show is goodbye from love and well see you next week. Called so why he will be you while the. Old fool im going to lose those all things let well look im a kid who did oh to. Me. How. Please. This is a story of women and women was troubled histories and complex court cases you know some. Believe. The person that hears the cheesiness of the day are considered the most dangerous of criminals shes in a still. Falling off 23 hours of the day tell me that its not enough punishment it will give women on death row. That. Tell you doctors slam the government for failure to provide protective gear at hospitals that after a surge in infections among frontline medics. Funeral services in ecuador run out of coffins is the covert 900. 00 death toll mounts the government to mix the cost this is far worse than official figures suggest we hear from a doctor in the country. More than 40 Health Workers have died in the pandemic doctors and nurses this is hidden from the public. And in the u. K. Members of the public enforce the law by snitching on neighbors in the rules of government though says some people might be taking things too far