How medieval Scottish kings kept unrest at bay with populist policies

Medieval king Robert the Bruce spotted the power of populism. Ulmus Media/Shutterstock Governments have always had to strike a balance between actions that are unpopular but thought to be necessary, and laws and policies that win them support from the public. In the UK, the new prime minister Andy Burnham has set out to grab the news agenda with a string of genuinely popular announcements. Back in the middle ages, unpopular governments did not need to worry about the ballot box – but they did…