The 'Lefts' abscence, Ireland
Why has the left been so weak in the past in Ireland and is its future brighter than its past?The Irish state as we know it today really began to take form in 1922, at a point in history where the left-wing or socialist theory was gaining popularity rapidly all over the world. Promises of liberty, equality, fraternity, reform and internationalism were causing populations to veer towards the left and, in extreme situations such as Russia, causing people to revolt against their rulers in order to gain a more equal society. Before the formation of the Dail, the Irish people had undergone a revolution of their own, breaking free from hundreds of years of oppression and subjugation by a foreign, tyrannical power. It would seem logical therefore to presume that the Irish people would be more inclined to vote for a political party that would truly take advantage of this new-found freedom by creating a society based on equality, in other words, a left-wing party. However, this proved not to be the case, and as Ireland's political party system matured, it was two conservative parties that would become the flagships foe Irish politics, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Other parties have featured over the last eighty years but f
However, without much of a left-wing base to build upon, Ireland may find itself stuck in a political rut before any real change is implemented, forcing the Irish people to watch as their two main conservative parties batlle it out, unopposed. James, or Jim, Larkin's failure to make an impact on the first Dail was far less terminal yet surprisingly complete. " (4) Although the views of the Catholic Church did not necessarily represent the opinions of the people in general such was their influence that they could alter the perception of the people. "(1) This in turn sounds very like the thoughts of Marx, showing Connolly truly had substantial left-wing beliefs. So when independence was gained, people were keen to associate themselves with the Church. Another socialist who believed in this ides was Lenin. , Edited by John Coakly and Micheal Gallagher (1999). Socialism in England held its roots in the vast numbers of industrial factory workers living in squalor in cities not designed for the vast influx of paople caused by the industrial revolution. 35(3) Eire, 16th June 1924, quoted in Emmet Larkin, James Larkim, Irish Labour Leader 1876-1947, (London, 1965)(4)The Dynamics of Irish Politics, Paul Bew, Ellen Hazelkorn and Henry Patterson,(1989)(5) The Dynamics of Irish Politics, Paul Bew, Ellen Hazelkorn and Henry Patterson,(1989)(6) Politics in the Republic of Ireland 3rd Ed. Larkin, a charismatic man of whom Constance Markievicz once said ", the great elemental force that is in all crowds has passed into his nature forever. ew of them could have been considered left-wing and those that were lacked either popularity or stability. "(3) It was this volatile personality that made him so popular with the industrial workers whom he was trying to organise, but it would also turn out to be his undoing. Two other socialogical reasons for the lack of a left-wing in Ireland would be the lack of an age of industrial revolution and subsequently the decentralisation of populations, turning Ireland, until recently, into a country with a rural populous and a predominantly agricultural economy.
Common topics in this essay:
Socialism England,
Catholic Church,
Dail Irish,
Union Congress,
Constance Markievicz,
Lenin Connolly,
Introduction Irish,
Marx Connolly,
Fine Gael,
Martin Murphy,
irish politics,
irish people,
political party,
catholic church,
bew ellen hazelkorn,
tom garvin,
birth irish,
martin murphy,
1922the birth,
layout irish society,
dynamics irish,
ellen hazelkorn henry,
1996 p35,
politics paul bew,
paul bew ellen,
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