Political economy of secession: Lessons from the early years of the Irish Free State

Sean Kenny and Eoin McLaughlin

No 22-05, QUCEH Working Paper Series from Queen's University Belfast, Queen's University Centre for Economic History

Abstract: We apply insights from the political economy of secession to analyse the early years of the Irish Free State (IFS). The IFS was fortuitous in a debt settlement that enabled it to begin its existence debt free, whilst also receiving financial assistance to quell civil unrest. Yet the IFS was unable to continue to provide the welfare spending inherited from the old regime thereby exacerbating inequality. The IFS also maintained a sterling peg, which led to a milder experience of the depression era. Ultimately however, the benefits of independence were not forthcoming in the early years of the IFS.

Keywords: Ireland; economic history; independence; secession (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N14 N44 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his and nep-pol
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Related works:
Journal Article: POLITICAL ECONOMY OF SECESSION: LESSONS FROM THE EARLY YEARS OF THE IRISH FREE STATE (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:qucehw:202205

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