During the period 1923-1939, how effectively did Irish governments tackle the social and economic problems they faced

Economic -Social -Both

  • Intro - civil war, 1923 general election (CnaG wins, FF loses and refuses to take seats - CnaG majority)

Cumman na nGaedheal

  • Free trade - CnaG implements free trade to keep government spending low. Ireland has lost big money from ship industry in Belfast, Ireland is agricultural. Big companies benefit (Jacob’s and Guinness). Gov spending low = taxation low

  • Ireland has a very low electricity rate - Ardnacrusha and the ESB are made to combat this and power the country

  • Social spending is cut - teachers wages, pensions. Leads to resentment for CnaG

  • poverty was a huge problem. Huge poverty in the west in 1923 and government plays down the problems. Housing is a massive problem, gov only invests 2 million which doesn’t help at all.

  • Great Depression - things get even worse for the people or Ireland and decline of CnaG

Fianna Fail

  • FF instead want a protectionist economy and to make Ireland self sufficient (like many other European countries

  • FF manages to slowly dismantle the treaty under the statute of Westminster

  • Eucharistic Congress - helps massively to patch up old wounds from the civil war and both governments work together. Also shows Irish people that their religion is important

  • Dev gets rid of the land annuities, and the British fire back with tarrifs, to which dev responds with the trade war. Trade war ends in 1938

  • Greater social spending than CnaG. Better pensions, unemployment, health issues, and the tenements are tackled.

  • Blue shirts begin to emerge in Ireland. A march is planned and they’re banned.he also banned wearing uniforms into the dail and the IRA

  • Conclusion - dismantling of treaty, Ireland proved that she was able to govern herself