Many Indians applaud our role in their country (Scotland's role in world history, Letters, May 14). The historian Zareer Masani, author of “Macaulay: Britain’s Liberal Imperialist, who recently advised Britain to “take new pride in what it did to modernise and democratise the world”.

It is not inconceivable that, had India remained outside the British Empire, it would have become part of, or strongly influenced by, the Russian Empire – hardly a preferable alternative.

Had Scotland avoided the 1707 Union, clearly “our history and world history would have been different”, but not necessarily for the better.

As the US historian and professor, Dr Arthur Herman, wrote in his mammoth study The Scottish Enlightenment – The Scots’ Invention Of The Modern World”, Scotland and its numerous geniuses from all walks of life and disciplines really flourished after 1707.

Andrew Carnegie thought without Scotland, “the modern world would be a very poor show”; and Churchill reckoned “of all the small nations of this earth, perhaps only the ancient Greeks surpass the Scots in their contribution to mankind”.

John Birkett

St Andrews