Readers' Letters: World needs more Carnegies and fewer Musks
Just over one hundred years ago the world’s richest man lived in America. Like Elon Musk he was a migrant and a ruthless businessman who interfered in world affairs. This other titan was Andrew Carnegie and he too had the ear of the President of the USA.
Whereas Musk encourages English racists and German fascists, Carnegie was an international peacemaker. Musk delights in spreading disinformation, fostering ignorance and fermenting unrest. By contrast Carnegie delighted in becoming the greatest educationist the world has ever seen, building 2,500 free public libraries around the globe, including Musk’s homeland of South Africa.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdCarnegie’s early life was deeply influenced by his uncle George Lauder, a political agitator for equality, education and democracy. He imbued his nephew with an admiration for Robert Burns which came to inform Carnegie’s worldview. Extraordinarily, tens of thousands here and abroad are now celebrating that life, a young poet who died in 1796. Peerless craftsmanship and his love for humanity can’t fully explain this phenomenon.


Raise a glass, then, to the Immortal Memory of Rabbie Burns and toast the hard-working volunteers who support Burns Suppers and Burns Clubs. Enjoy your haggis, neeps and tatties and sing his song of international brotherhood with its notice of contempt for riches and rank: “The man’s the gowd for a’ that”. Those egalitarian and humanitarian values which Burns personified make Scotland a distinctive place and positive influence in the world. He’d have liked that.
Fraser McAllister, Musselburgh, East Lothian
Great days?
On his first day in the White House a convicted felon pardons 1,600 convicted felons. If you’re a criminal in the US (and not black or Hispanic), what a time to be alive!
D Mitchell, Edinburgh
Back our builders
The Scottish Government's official declaration of a housing emergency last year has revealed a severe and pressing need for action, as discussed in Steven Clark’s recent article on supporting SME builders to address Scotland's housing crisis (Business, 20 January). As we navigate these challenging times, it is paramount that we turn our attention to fostering the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises within the construction sector.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdScotland faces a critical shortage of affordable housing. With population growth and increasing demand, the challenge is not simply about constructing new homes but also about enhancing the capabilities of local builders. By providing targeted support to our SMEs, we can stimulate job creation and ensure a sustainable approach to development. This strategy should include cutting bureaucratic red tape, providing access to finance, and creating a more conducive environment for small builders to thrive.
Moreover, investing in local builders not only addresses housing shortages, it revitalises communities. Local contractors are invested in their neighbourhoods and understand the specific needs and preferences of residents. By empowering these businesses, we can ensure housing solutions are tailored to local contexts, which can lead to better community integration and a sense of ownership among residents.
Cost-effective and innovative building solutions must be prioritised, utilising modern methods of construction which can expedite delivery without compromising quality. By encouraging SMEs to explore these avenues, we can significantly reduce costs and timelines in delivering much-needed homes. Furthermore, this approach aligns with our environmental commitments by promoting sustainable building practices. However, we must also ensure that local authorities play their part. They need to actively engage with the SME sector and create frameworks that are supportive rather than obstructive. This means streamlining planning processes and embracing flexibility in their policies, allowing for quicker pathways to the construction of new homes.
Scotland cannot afford to ignore this housing crisis any longer. By harnessing the potential of our SMEs in the construction industry, we have the opportunity to create a lasting impact on housing availability. If we aim for a brighter future, it is imperative we start with the foundations of our communities – our homes. Let us lead with purpose and resolve, ensuring that the very fabric of Scottish society is strengthened for generations to come.
Alastair Majury, Dunblane, Stirling
Hot topic
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdI thought I should quickly support Peter Hopkins before the eco-warrior writers rouse their forces (Letters, 18 January). He is so right about the climate hysteria over the California wildfires. On Saturday a BBC reporter at the scene introduced the words “climate change” at every opportunity.
I am so angry at hearing the phrase over and over that I have thrown a brick at the TV.
Michael Baird, Bonar Bridge, Highland
MIsleading
Further to the observation of Robert Menzies (Letters, 21 January) of the “relentless campaign of misinformation when it comes to anything to do with the SNP”, The Scotsman provided more pertinent examples on the same day.
The desperate attempt by Jane Lax to infer that progressing knowledge is not at the heart of Curriculum for Excellence will be a big surprise to most teachers, high school students and recent university graduates, as well as education “experts” of the OECD who have endorsed CfE, and the Labour Welsh Government which is now introducing Curriculum for Wales. Perhaps Ms Lax hasn’t read the 2022 EuroStat report saying Scotland has “the best-educated population in Europe”. Maybe ignoring such information aids her misguided efforts to persuade readers that Scotland would be better governed directly from Westminster.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdNot to be outdone, Jill Stephenson artfully employed smoke and mirrors in an attempt to convey the illusion that the £160 million cut by the UK Labour Government to the Scottish Government’s funding was already sitting in the SG bank account for the budgeted universal payment of the 2023-24 Winter Fuel Payment. Quoting words out of context is often not helpful and a budgetary saving in one area of government expenditure doesn’t necessarily mean that equivalent funds have actually been received in another area, and while Ms Stephenson may not be an economist one would suspect she appreciates this simple fact.
With regard to appropriate context, perhaps Ms Lax or Ms Stephenson would like to comment on Scotland's “nominal share” of the annual interest on the UK Government’s record debt (approaching £3 trillion) which is equivalent to the cost of building around 50 dual-fuel ferries, a “cost” which will be repeatedly “imposed” every year until the UK Government significantly reduces public debt, or Scotland becomes independent.
Stan Grodynski, Longniddry, East Lothian
Help Ukraine
John V Lloyd suggests that a decision to fund Ukraine as they fight back against Russian aggression would be money better spent on keeping pensioners warm this winter (Letters, 21 January).
Obviously this letter writer is having a go at Labour in a warm-up for the forthcoming election but I trust he does not equate the trauma of some pensioners in this country with Vladimir Putin’s aggression against the Ukrainian people and infrastructure purely because they wish to live in a democratic country, with all that means.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAs a pensioner, while not a Labour supporter, I wholeheartedly support the Ukrainian struggle and willingly forgo my winter fuel support if this means that they can purchase military equipment and repair bombed energy infrastructure to help all Ukrainians fight to protect their way of life.
T Lewis, Coylton, Ayrshire
Rocky ground
It was interesting to note that a search is under way to trace up to 30 missing fragments of the Stone of Destiny, the traditional Coronation stone of the Kings of Scotland (your report, 17 January). The pieces were separated from the sandstone artefact when it was secretly repaired following its famous repatriation from Westminster Abbey in 1950 by nationalist students. I find it intriguing as to the effort being made to try and find the remnants of what is not the true Stone, but a fake taken by King Edward I in 1296, and often referred to as the “Westminster Stone”.
The Stone was originally kept by the monks of Iona, the traditional headquarters of the Scottish Celtic church, before being moved to Scone. What is alleged to be the Stone of Destiny has been proven to have been quarried locally to Scone.
In addition, early seals and documentary descriptions suggest a stone that is larger than the Westminster Stone, darker in colour (possibly basalt or marble), with elaborate carvings.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHardly the weathered sandstone that now resides in Perth. The best of luck to those trying to trace the fragments which, of course, have played their part in history, and now to find the true Stone of Destiny.
Alex Orr, Edinburgh
Wolf in fold
Christopher Ogilvie Badenoch is quite correct in describing the Wolf of Badenoch as an unmitigated rascal (Letters, 21 January). But if critics to try to spit on his grave in Dunblane Cathedral they will be in the wrong place – the Wolf is buried in Dunkeld Cathedral.
Sandy Macpherson, Edinburgh
Write to The Scotsman
We welcome your thoughts – NO letters submitted elsewhere, please. Write to [email protected] including name, address and phone number – we won't print full details. Keep letters under 300 words, with no attachments, and avoid 'Letters to the Editor/Readers’ Letters' or similar in your subject line – be specific. If referring to an article, include date, page number and heading.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.