With adroit skill, during the 1930s de Valera translated his personal vision of Irish sovereignty into a political reality. Discuss.
Lauren Grant:
'With adroit skill, during the 1930s de Valera translated his personal vision of Irish sovereignty into a political reality.' Discuss.
With the general election win of 1932 by Fianna Fail, de Valera had indeed begun the task of establishing Ireland as a new nation under his own terms in the newly emerging map of Europe. It was the first election held in the newly formed Irish Free State that was contested by all political parties in the country as Sinn Fein had abstained due to their refusal to take an oath of Allegiance to the British King under De Valera's leadership during the 1920's. It was also a massive achievement by Fianna Fail to collect a working majority along with the labour party as De Valera's new party had only been in existence for 5 years after Sinn Fein split at the 1927 Ard Fheis1. De Valera and his supporters walked out of the meeting as the vote had gone to continue the abstention from the Dail which meant that W.T. Cosgrave and his Cumman na Gaedheal cabinet would continue to rule the country without any opposition. By 1932 the Irish State was ten years ruling its own people and also 9 years after the end of the civil war. Tensions still existed between people on both sides of the treaty divide yet De Valera had come to the conclusion that only in parliament and legislative powers could he and his followers hope to dismantle the treaty. On entering Parliament many of the newly elected FF TDs carried firearms for fear that the outgoing cabinet would not hand over power in a co-operative manner. From the outset in 1932 and even more so after returning a majority of 5 seats the following February De Valera and Fianna Fail's mandate was as follows, to successfully return Gaelige as the vernacular language of the country. To establish a self-sufficient nation that would be able to compete internationally, to gain international recognition both politically and economically as an independent state and not as a subordinate dominion of the British Empire. To eliminate the slums of Dublin's inner-city and replace them with state housing that was affordable to those who were in need of such projects.2 To establish and consolidate the national and social differences with Britain that made Ireland a centre of culture and gave it the name of the land of saints and Scholars. Although De Valera was the face and controlling mind behind the party men such as Sean Lemass who was Minister for Industry and commerce in the first cabinet and Sean McEntee the minister for finance also held considerable sway over party policy and legislation. Lemass in particular in the biography by Bryce Evans3 tells of the power that came with his brief of Industry and commerce and how he used it to not only modernise Ireland for the better but to also further his own political career simultaneously4.
The 1932 general election was the first time that both sides of the old civil war sides were represented on the ballot paper. Although the previous administration had in relation to the civil service and Judicial system retained the British template the tenure of Cummann Na Gaedheal many changes were made to the everyday running of the country such as the establishment of county councils. Law and Order had been the brief of Kevin O'Higgins and although some policies such as internment and the death penalty were used at a time when the gun was very much in Irish politics it could be argued that by taking extreme measures he was keeping the newly formed state safe. As such 1932 and Fianna Fail were elected to office with all the foundations laid for them. This meant that the agenda of the party based on the promises they made to the Irish public was to establish Irish Economic and political sovereignty. The most drastic of these promises was the Anglo-Irish Economic war observed after the 1933 general election and was continued until 1938 one year before Europe was plunged into war. From 1934 to 1938 Ireland and Britain employed various sanctions on various trade goods and imports and exports in a battle were the losers were simply the Irish people. After De Valera with held the payment of Land annuities which were the repayments of funds given to Irish farmers after the 1901 Land act in which the amount of 100 million would eventually be paid to Britain by the end of the agreement. At the end of the economic war a lump sum payment of £10 million was paid to the British Exchequer to end the ongoing tariff war, 1/10 of the original planned sum5. This can be seen as a political achievement of the Fianna Fail administration but also a failure on the social aspect of their party's administration as it was the rural Irish people who suffered the most from the war. Many of the affected large cattle farmers of south-east Leinster and Munster showed their anger by joining with the newly formed national centre party and Cummann Na Geadheal as well as the ACA to form Fine Gael. The economic war was a social failure of Fianna Fail as it was there principal supporters who suffered most from the hardship it cost.
'With adroit skill, during the 1930s de Valera translated his personal vision of Irish sovereignty into a political reality.' Discuss.
With the general election win of 1932 by Fianna Fail, de Valera had indeed begun the task of establishing Ireland as a new nation under his own terms in the newly emerging map of Europe. It was the first election held in the newly formed Irish Free State that was contested by all political parties in the country as Sinn Fein had abstained due to their refusal to take an oath of Allegiance to the British King under De Valera's leadership during the 1920's. It was also a massive achievement by Fianna Fail to collect a working majority along with the labour party as De Valera's new party had only been in existence for 5 years after Sinn Fein split at the 1927 Ard Fheis1. De Valera and his supporters walked out of the meeting as the vote had gone to continue the abstention from the Dail which meant that W.T. Cosgrave and his Cumman na Gaedheal cabinet would continue to rule the country without any opposition. By 1932 the Irish State was ten years ruling its own people and also 9 years after the end of the civil war. Tensions still existed between people on both sides of the treaty divide yet De Valera had come to the conclusion that only in parliament and legislative powers could he and his followers hope to dismantle the treaty. On entering Parliament many of the newly elected FF TDs carried firearms for fear that the outgoing cabinet would not hand over power in a co-operative manner. From the outset in 1932 and even more so after returning a majority of 5 seats the following February De Valera and Fianna Fail's mandate was as follows, to successfully return Gaelige as the vernacular language of the country. To establish a self-sufficient nation that would be able to compete internationally, to gain international recognition both politically and economically as an independent state and not as a subordinate dominion of the British Empire. To eliminate the slums of Dublin's inner-city and replace them with state housing that was affordable to those who were in need of such projects.2 To establish and consolidate the national and social differences with Britain that made Ireland a centre of culture and gave it the name of the land of saints and Scholars. Although De Valera was the face and controlling mind behind the party men such as Sean Lemass who was Minister for Industry and commerce in the first cabinet and Sean McEntee the minister for finance also held considerable sway over party policy and legislation. Lemass in particular in the biography by Bryce Evans3 tells of the power that came with his brief of Industry and commerce and how he used it to not only modernise Ireland for the better but to also further his own political career simultaneously4.
The 1932 general election was the first time that both sides of the old civil war sides were represented on the ballot paper. Although the previous administration had in relation to the civil service and Judicial system retained the British template the tenure of Cummann Na Gaedheal many changes were made to the everyday running of the country such as the establishment of county councils. Law and Order had been the brief of Kevin O'Higgins and although some policies such as internment and the death penalty were used at a time when the gun was very much in Irish politics it could be argued that by taking extreme measures he was keeping the newly formed state safe. As such 1932 and Fianna Fail were elected to office with all the foundations laid for them. This meant that the agenda of the party based on the promises they made to the Irish public was to establish Irish Economic and political sovereignty. The most drastic of these promises was the Anglo-Irish Economic war observed after the 1933 general election and was continued until 1938 one year before Europe was plunged into war. From 1934 to 1938 Ireland and Britain employed various sanctions on various trade goods and imports and exports in a battle were the losers were simply the Irish people. After De Valera with held the payment of Land annuities which were the repayments of funds given to Irish farmers after the 1901 Land act in which the amount of 100 million would eventually be paid to Britain by the end of the agreement. At the end of the economic war a lump sum payment of £10 million was paid to the British Exchequer to end the ongoing tariff war, 1/10 of the original planned sum5. This can be seen as a political achievement of the Fianna Fail administration but also a failure on the social aspect of their party's administration as it was the rural Irish people who suffered the most from the war. Many of the affected large cattle farmers of south-east Leinster and Munster showed their anger by joining with the newly formed national centre party and Cummann Na Geadheal as well as the ACA to form Fine Gael. The economic war was a social failure of Fianna Fail as it was there principal supporters who suffered most from the hardship it cost.
