Why Scots resented immigrants between 1830 and 1939

• Reasons why many Scots resented immigrants between 1830 and 1939

  • Scots accused them of taking Scots' jobs
  • Scots accused them of working for less money/lowering wages
  • Immigrants were disliked as they did not join in with strikes which resulted in a strike by Scottish workers pointless
  • Irish immigrants had a reputation for drunkenness, so many Scots were wary of immigrants
  • Some Irish immigrants were often violent or were involved in fighting, so some Scots were afraid of immigrants
  • Scots accused them of causing overcrowding on the limited housing that was available. This put up rents, which caused resentment towards the immigrants
  • Immigrants were said to spread disease due to their unhygienic way of life and so Scots viewed them with suspicion
  • Scots accused some of claiming poor relief intended for Scots and this made the Scots dislike them
  • Some immigrants practised a different religion, for example, the Catholic Irish, which made Scots suspicious of them
  • Some immigrants failed to fit in and kept their own customs, so were viewed with suspicion