At the heart of the Scottish Parliament sits the ceremonial Mace. Business can’t start until it’s there, and on it are four small words with big meaning: integrity, compassion, justice and wisdom. Scotland’s Four Words of Hope is about bringing those words back into the way we talk about politics, and the way decisions are made, in an election year and beyond.
If we’re going to do that honestly, we need to start by listening….
That’s why we’re working with the Royal Society of Edinburgh on a Scotland‑wide survey asking a simple question: what do these four words mean to you today? Before we invite anyone to “Face the Mace” or sign a pledge, we want to hear from people in every part of Scotland about how these values land in real life, not just in speeches and official documents.
What the survey is about
The survey is open to any adult living in Scotland. It asks, in plain language, things like:
-
When you hear “integrity”, “compassion”, “justice” and “wisdom”, what do you think of?
-
Where do you see these values (or the lack of them) in your everyday life – at work, at home, in your community, online?
-
When you look at the Scottish Parliament, do you feel these words describe how it behaves? Where do you see them lived out – and where do you feel they’re missing?
We’re not testing anyone or looking for textbook definitions. We’re trying to build a picture of how people actually use these words, and how closely they feel Parliament matches up to them.
Why your voice matters
A lot of people in Scotland feel let down by politics just now. Some are angry, some are tired, some have switched off altogether. At the same time, most of us still want a public life we can respect – where people are straight with us, where decisions are fair, where those most affected are taken seriously, and where leaders think beyond the next headline.
The four words on the Mace point in exactly that direction. But they only have real weight if they connect with what people are seeing and feeling on the ground. That’s where you come in.
By filling in the survey, you help to:
-
Shape how we talk about each of the four words on this website and in our materials.
-
Influence the questions we put to MSPs, parties and other organisations when we talk about living these values out in practice.
-
Highlight where people feel Parliament is doing well – and where there’s a gap between the words on the Mace and the reality they experience.
What we’ll do with the results
We’ll use what you tell us to:
-
Refine the wording of the public pledge so it sounds like real people, not a policy document.
-
Develop simple tools and questions that candidates, MSPs, voters, organisations and media can actually use.
-
Guide future work – including citizens’ panels and support for newly elected MSPs – so it focuses on the issues people are really worried about.
-
Run focus groups to tease out more what conclusions we should draw”
We’ll share a plain‑English summary of what we’re hearing on this site. Individual responses will be treated in confidence; we’re interested in the overall picture, not in identifying anyone personally.
The survey is staying open
Although we’re keen to hear from as many people as possible before the May 2026 election, we’re not treating this as a one‑off snapshot. The survey will stay open beyond election day so we can keep listening and see how views change over time. If you’re reading this later in the year, your voice is still very welcome.
Add your voice
If you’re 18 or over and live in Scotland, we’d really value your perspective. You don’t need to know anything special about politics. There are no right or wrong answers – just your own experience and judgement.
It only takes a few minutes, and it genuinely will shape how this project develops.
Take part here
Scotland’s Four Words of Hope starts from the belief that we already have good words written into the life of our Parliament. This survey is one way of making sure those words are grounded in the lives and voices of the people they were written for.