Irish Democratization

A history of Irish democratization.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

TODO: learn some history!

Irish Home rule bills were proposed in the British Parliament as early as 1886 but, for a variety of English political reasons, were each defeated. By the 20th century, one such complicating debate was the inclusion or exclusion of the 9 counties in Ulster.

Irish Free State

The Easter Rising was a short-lived rebellion in 1916. While the leaders were quickly captured and executed, it established the prototype for a more successful rebellion.

In the 1918 British parliamentary elections, Sinn Féin won a supermajority of Irish seats. They convened a revolutionary assembly, the Dáil Éireann, and declared independence in 1919.

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) was established to expel the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), launching the War of Independence. The RIC was supplemented with volunteers known as Black and Tans. The war was characterized by assassinations and ambushes of British forces, followed by acts of retribution against Irish civilians (i.e., Bloody Sunday, burning of Cork, etc.).

The British Parliament unilaterally partitioned Ireland in the Government of Ireland Act; Northern Ireland comprised the 6 most northeastern counties of Ulster, while Southern Ireland held the rest. In practice, Southern Ireland was never recognized as a legitimate political entity. However, the division became a focal point for ceasefire negotiations. Ultimately, Northern Ireland would be allowed separation from Ireland for the purposes of a peace treaty. And ultimately, Northern Ireland exercised that right.

A ceasefire was agreed in July 1921 and the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in December. An Irish Free State was established as a dominion of the British Empire. The Oireachtas was established as the national legislature and the first constitution (the Constitution of the Irish Free State) was promulgated.

Sinn Féin refused to recognize the free state and boycotted the Oireachtas. de Valera tried and failed to reverse this party policy; he established the breakaway Fianna Fáil which quickly became the dominant party.

De Valera amended the constitution to remove, among other components, the Oath of Allegience. Following the abdication of Edward VIII, he and Hearne drafted a new constitution (the Constitution of Ireland) that entirely abolished recognition of the British monarchy. Following a plebiscite in July 1937, this constitution was adopted in December.

Republic of Ireland

TODO: learn some history! AND government!

CategoryRicottone CategoryTodoLearnHistory CategoryTodoLearnGovernment