Ireland, 1912-1985: Politics and Society

by Joseph J. Lee

This is the first major study on this scale of Irish performance, North and South, in the twentieth century. Although stressing the primacy of politics in Irish public affairs, it argues that Irish politics must be understood in the broad context of economic, social, administrative, cultural, and intellectual history. The book fully explores the relationship between rhetoric and reality in the Irish mind and views political behavior largely as a product of collective psychology. "The Irish experience" is placed firmly in a comparative context. The book seeks to assess the relative importance of British influence and of indigenous impulses in shaping an independent Ireland, and to identify the relationship between personality and process in determining Irish history. Particularly close attention is paid to individuals such as Eamon de Valera, Michael Collins, W.T. Cosgrove, Sir James Craig, J.J. McElligott, Sean Lemass, Terence O'Neill, and Ian Paisley, and to the limits within which even the most powerful personalities were forced to operate.

Genres: History, Ireland, Nonfiction, Politics, Reference, Economics, 20th Century

754 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Joe O'Donnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is undoubtedly one of the heaviest hitters in Irish historiography. Nearly 40 years after its first edition, “Ireland, 1912–1985” still stands as one of the definitive analyses of Ireland’s economic history.

Upon its original publication in 1989, Ireland was in rag order: an economic basket case, having had its talent pool and confidence drained by decades of mass emigration, and plagued by the internecine violence of The Troubles. If there is one central question that Joe Lee is attempting to interrogate in “Ireland, 1912–1985” it is why – after achieving its independence in 1921 – Ireland had managed to remain so poor for so long?

Like a lot of the histories of Ireland that were written during the dog days of the 1980s, Joe Lee is preoccupied by the idea that the independent state – distressed and despondent with emigration and economic stagnation – had become synonymous with ‘failure’ (there was a sense during this time that the dire 1950s seemed to be repeating themselves during the 80s). Lee lays the blame for these wasted decades at the doors of an unaccountable system of bureaucracy in Ireland, the innate conservatism of Irish political and economic elites, an over-emphasis on localism in the Irish political system, and the stunting of Irish intellectual and academic thought after independence. If there is any ‘hero’ in “Ireland, 1912–1985”, it is Seán Lemass, who in Lee’s analysis is one of the few political figures to have any vision that might breach the policy paralysis of the new state.

Joe Lee’s assessments on why the independent Irish state had the least impressive economic performance in Western Europe remain razor-sharp and acute. But what really elevates “Ireland, 1912–1985” – and what makes it resonate almost four decades later – is the quality of Joe Lee’s writing. Lee has a wonderfully sardonic style, not least in his observation that “the Irish don’t have a sense of history, but a sense of grievance”. He is acidic and excoriating of the failures of successive political elites, remarking of endemic emigration that “no other country so content to scatter their young around the world”. The blinkered focus on stability in the fledgling Irish Free State (perhaps understandable after the ruinous Civil War) ultimately led to stagnation; as Joe Lee claims: “the Irish have been nearly as sterile in government as they have been creative in politics”.

In the near four decades since “Ireland, 1912–1985” was published, the economic performance of the Irish state has been transformed. But looking at the paralysis of the crises in housing and infrastructure, Joe Lee might suggest that little has changed when it comes to visionary thinking in Irish life. We may have become richer, but have we really become smarter?

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that demands intense sentence-by-sentence concentration and a lot of note-taking. The farthest thing from pop history - absolutely hardcore. The discussion of possessor ethos vs. performance principle is particularly useful.

One takeaway, though, whether Lee intended this or not, is that nations are essentially ungovernable, and it is impossible for governing authorities to GET THINGS RIGHT. They are always going too far in THIS direction, or not enough in THAT direction. I got the same sensation reading J.M.S. Careless’s Canada: A Story of Challenge - even minor successes (which are all you can hope for) contain the seeds of the next defeat. So while you can manage your own small-scale life in a fruitful way, forget about managing anything much larger than a Rotary committee. It just ain’t gonna happen. And this perspective, needless to say, is deeply dispiriting however realistic it may be.

At any rate, I’m glad I didn’t go into government, or management / administration generally.

[Patricia Monger · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a lot of information though it certainly isn't easy going unless you already know something of 20th century Irish history - and not just "the Troubles". The problem with the book is that the author segues too often into screeds about academic politics and/or how historians "don't get no respect", as well as making blanket statements about Irish people - he doesn't try to promulgate the "drunk Irish" stereotype but making ANY blanket statement about character seems kind of crazy to me.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, I cried. So good!

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great survey of 20th century Irish history and an essential reference book for anyone interested in the subject; one of the best Irish history books I have read so far.

[John Burn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty long

[Thomas Ray]

DA963 L44 1989 College Library Rm 1191 and Memorial Library