驅逐佃戶違反了dùthchas原則,即氏族成員擁有在氏族領地中租用土地的不可剝奪的權利。蘇格蘭法律從未承認這一點。它逐漸被氏族首領放棄,他們開始認為自己只是在商言商的業主,而非族長——該過程可能始於1609年《爱奥那章程》(Statutes of Iona)。而氏族成员繼續依靠dùthchas。立場的不同必然導致不滿。[2]:35–36, 39, 60, 300領主的行動各不相同。有些人確實儘可能推遲或減少強制搬遷,通常是出於財務成本考量。薩瑟蘭伯爵夫人(Countess of Sutherland)真誠地認為,她的計劃對那些小棚戶社區中重新定居的人是有利的,並且不明白為什麼佃戶會抱怨。一些領主對被驅逐的佃戶完全不關心。[c]
清洗的第一阶段主要发生在1760至1815年期间。但是,它始于1745年詹姆斯黨叛亂之前,其根源是阿盖尔公爵(Dukes of Argyll)决定对农场和镇区的土地单位(tack(s),或lease(s))进行拍卖。这始于1710年代在琴泰半岛的Campbell地产,到了1737年之后蔓延到所有地产。
^Harper, Marjory. Emigration from Scotland between the wars: opportunity or exile?. Manchester: Manchester University Press. 1998. ISBN 9780 7190 8046 3.
^ 4.04.1Devine, T M. Clearance and Improvement: Land, Power and People in Scotland, 1700–1900. Edinburgh: Birlinn Ltd. 2006. ISBN 978-1-906566-23-4.
^ 6.06.16.26.3Devine, T M. Clanship to Crofters' War: The social transformation of the Scottish Highlands 2013. Manchester University Press. 1994. ISBN 978-0-7190-9076-9.
^ 7.07.1Dodgshon, Robert A. From Chiefs to Landlords: Social and Economic Change in the Western Highlands and Islands, c.1493–1820. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 1998. ISBN 0 7486 1034 0.
Devine, T M (1994). Clanship to Crofters' War: The social transformation of the Scottish Highlands (2013 ed.). Manchester University Press. ISBN978-0-7190-9076-9.
Devine, T M (2018). The Scottish Clearances: A History of the Dispossessed, 1600–1900. London: Allen Lane. ISBN978-0241304105
Dodgshon, Robert A. (1998). From Chiefs to Landlords: Social and Economic Change in the Western Highlands and Islands, c.1493–1820. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. ISBN0 7486 1034 0
Hunter, James (2000). The Making of the Crofting Community, John Donald Publishers Ltd; 2nd Revised edition. ISBN978 1 84158 853 7 (Originally published in 1976, the 2000 edition has a preface that modifies some of the thinking in the main text of the book.)
Macinnes, Allan I. (1996). Clanship, Commerce and the House of Stewart, 1603–1788. East Linton: Tuckwell Press. ISBN1 898410 43 7
Macleod, Donald, Gloomy Memories, 1857 (A first-hand account of Sutherland clearances. Macleod should be read with caution as he frequently employed hyperbole for passionate emphasis.)
Prebble, John (1963) The Highland Clearances, Secker & Warburg. ISBN978 0140028379 (This is the seminal work that brought the subject to modern attention. Later historical work corrects and challenges many points in this book.)
Richards, Eric (2000). The Highland Clearances: People, Landlords and Rural Turmoil, Birlinn Books. ISBN978 1 78027 165 1