Independents in Irish party democracy

Independents in Irish party democracy PDF Author: Liam Weeks
Publisher: Manchester University Press
ISBN: 1526116383
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 286

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book examines the phenomenon of the independent politician, believed to be extinct in most political systems. It is very much alive and well in Ireland, and has experienced a considerable resurgence in recent years. Independents won a record number of seats in 2016 and had three ministers appointed to cabinet. This presence is very unusual from a comparative perspective, and there are more independents in the Irish parliament than the combined total in all other industrial democracies. The aim of this book is to explain this anomaly, how and why independents can endure in a democracy that is one of the oldest surviving in Europe and has historically had one of the most stable party systems.

Independents in Irish party democracy

Independents in Irish party democracy PDF Author: Liam Weeks
Publisher: Manchester University Press
ISBN: 1526116383
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 286

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book examines the phenomenon of the independent politician, believed to be extinct in most political systems. It is very much alive and well in Ireland, and has experienced a considerable resurgence in recent years. Independents won a record number of seats in 2016 and had three ministers appointed to cabinet. This presence is very unusual from a comparative perspective, and there are more independents in the Irish parliament than the combined total in all other industrial democracies. The aim of this book is to explain this anomaly, how and why independents can endure in a democracy that is one of the oldest surviving in Europe and has historically had one of the most stable party systems.

Party Politics in a New Democracy

Party Politics in a New Democracy PDF Author: Mel Farrell
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319635859
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 340

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book offers a timely, and fresh historical perspective on the politics of independent Ireland. Interwar Ireland’s politics have been caricatured as an anomaly, with the distinction between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael bewildering political commentators and scholars alike. It is common for Ireland’s politics to be presented as an anomaly that compare unfavourably to the neat left/right cleavages evident in Britain and much of Europe. By offering an historical re-appraisal of the Irish Free State’s politics, anchored in the wider context of inter-war Europe, Mel Farrell argues that the Irish party system is not unique in having two dominant parties capable of adapting to changing circumstances, and suggests that this has been a key strength of Irish democracy. Moreover, the book challenges the tired cliché of ‘Civil War Politics’ by demonstrating that events subsequent to Civil War led the Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil cleavage dominant in the twentieth-century.

Politics in the Republic of Ireland

Politics in the Republic of Ireland PDF Author: John Coakley
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134463162
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 529

Get Book Here

Book Description
Building on the success of the first two editions, Politics in the Republic of Ireland continues to provide an authoritative introduction to all aspects of politics in the Irish Republic.

The Treaty

The Treaty PDF Author: Liam Weeks
Publisher: Merrion Press
ISBN: 1788550439
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 387

Get Book Here

Book Description
What exactly did the split over the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 actually mean? We know it both established the independent Irish state and that Ireland would not be a fully sovereign republic and provided for the partition of Northern Ireland. The Treaty was ratified 64 votes to 57 by the Sinn Fein members of the Revolutionary Dail Eireann, splitting Sinn Fein irrevocably and leading to the Irish Civil War, a rupture that still defines the Irish political landscape a century on. Drawing together the work of a diverse range of scholars, who each re-examine this critical period in Irish political history from a variety of perspectives, The Anglo-Irish Treaty Debates addresses this vexed historical and political question for a new generation of readers in the ongoing Decade of Commemorations, to determine what caused the split and its consequences that are still felt today.

In Defence of Democracy

In Defence of Democracy PDF Author: Roslyn Fuller
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 150953315X
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 110

Get Book Here

Book Description
Should Brexit or Trump cause us to doubt our faith in democracy? Are ‘the people’ too ignorant or stupid to rule? Numerous commentators are seriously arguing that the answer to these questions might be ‘yes’. In this take-no-prisoners book, Canadian-Irish author Roslyn Fuller kicks these anti-democrats where it hurts the most – the facts. Fuller shows how many academics, journalists and politicians have embraced the idea that there can be ‘too much democracy’, and deftly unravels their attempts to end majority rule, whether through limiting the franchise, pursuing Chinese ‘meritocracy’ or confining participation to random legislation panels. She shows that Trump, Brexit or whatever other political event you may have disapproved of recently aren’t doing half the damage to democracy that elite self-righteousness and corruption are. In fact, argues Fuller, there are real reasons to be optimistic. Ancient methods can be combined with modern technology to revitalize democracy and allow the people to truly rule. In Defence of Democracy is a witty and energetic contribution to the debate on the future of democracy.

Saving the State

Saving the State PDF Author: Stephen Collins
Publisher: Gill & Macmillan Ltd
ISBN: 0717189740
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 549

Get Book Here

Book Description
When Fine Gael entered a coalition government with Fianna Fáil in 2020 the party did what would have been unthinkable for its forefathers, who had fought and won a bitter civil war to establish the institutions of an independent Irish state almost a century earlier. Saving the State is the remarkable story of Fine Gael from its origins in the fraught days of civil war to the political convulsions of 2020. Written by political journalist Stephen Collins and historian Ciara Meehan, Saving the State draws on a wealth of original historical research and a range of interviews with key political figures to chart the evolution of the party through the lens of its successive leaders. From the special place occupied by Michael Collins in the party's pantheon of heroes to the dark era of the Blueshirts, and from its role as the founder of the state to its claim to be the defender of the state, the ways that members perceive their own history is also explored. Saving the State is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding how Fine Gael came to be the party it is today, the ways in which it interprets and presents its own history, and the role that it played in shaping modern Ireland.

The Oxford Handbook of Irish Politics

The Oxford Handbook of Irish Politics PDF Author: David M. Farrell
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192557157
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 793

Get Book Here

Book Description
Ireland has enjoyed continuous democratic government for almost a century, an unusual experience among countries that gained their independence in the 20th century. But the way this works in practice has changed dramatically over time. Ireland's colonial past had an enduring influence over political life for much of the time since independence, enabling stable institutions of democratic accountability, while also shaping a dismal record of economic under-development and persistent emigration. More recently, membership of the EU has brought about far-reaching transformation across almost all aspects of Irish life. But if anything, the paradoxes have only intensified. Now one of the most open economies in the world, Ireland has experienced both rapid growth and one of the most severe crashes in the wake of the Great Recession. On some measures Ireland is among the most affluent countries in the world, yet this is not the lived experience for many of its citizens. Ireland is an unequivocally modern state, yet public life continues to be marked by formative ideas and values in which tradition and modernity are held in often uneasy embrace. It is a small state that has ambitions to leverage its distinctive place in the Atlantic and European worlds to carry more weight on the world stage. Ireland continues to be deeply connected to Britain through ties of culture and trade, now matters of deep concern in the context of Brexit. And the old fault-lines between North and South, between Ireland and Britain, which had been at the core of one of Europe's longest and bloodiest civil conflicts, risk being reopened by Britain's new hard-edged approach to national and European identities. These key issues are teased out in the 41 chapters of this book, making this the most comprehensive volume on Irish politics to date.

It's Even Worse Than It Looks

It's Even Worse Than It Looks PDF Author: Thomas E. Mann
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0465096735
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 273

Get Book Here

Book Description
Acrimony and hyperpartisanship have seeped into every part of the political process. Congress is deadlocked and its approval ratings are at record lows. America's two main political parties have given up their traditions of compromise, endangering our very system of constitutional democracy. And one of these parties has taken on the role of insurgent outlier; the Republicans have become ideologically extreme, scornful of compromise, and ardently opposed to the established social and economic policy regime.In It's Even Worse Than It Looks, congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein identify two overriding problems that have led Congress -- and the United States -- to the brink of institutional collapse. The first is the serious mismatch between our political parties, which have become as vehemently adversarial as parliamentary parties, and a governing system that, unlike a parliamentary democracy, makes it extremely difficult for majorities to act. Second, while both parties participate in tribal warfare, both sides are not equally culpable. The political system faces what the authors call &"asymmetric polarization," with the Republican Party implacably refusing to allow anything that might help the Democrats politically, no matter the cost.With dysfunction rooted in long-term political trends, a coarsened political culture and a new partisan media, the authors conclude that there is no &"silver bullet"; reform that can solve everything. But they offer a panoply of useful ideas and reforms, endorsing some solutions, like greater public participation and institutional restructuring of the House and Senate, while debunking others, like independent or third-party candidates. Above all, they call on the media as well as the public at large to focus on the true causes of dysfunction rather than just throwing the bums out every election cycle. Until voters learn to act strategically to reward problem solving and punish obstruction, American democracy will remain in serious danger.

Europe

Europe PDF Author: Jürgen Habermas
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0745694675
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 157

Get Book Here

Book Description
The future of Europe and the role it will play in the 21st century are among the most important political questions of our time. The optimism of a decade ago has now faded but the stakes are higher than ever. The way these questions are answered will have enormous implications not only for all Europeans but also for the citizens of Europe’s closest and oldest ally – the USA. In this new book, one of Europe's leading intellectuals examines the political alternatives facing Europe today and outlines a course of action for the future. Habermas advocates a policy of gradual integration of Europe in which key decisions about Europe's future are put in the hands of its peoples, and a 'bipolar commonality' of the West in which a more unified Europe is able to work closely with the United States to build a more stable and equitable international order. This book includes Habermas's portraits of three long-time philosophical companions, Richard Rorty, Jacques Derrida and Ronald Dworkin. It also includes several important new texts by Habermas on the impact of the media on the public sphere, on the enduring importance religion in "post-secular" societies, and on the design of a democratic constitutional order for the emergent world society.

Understanding British and European political issues

Understanding British and European political issues PDF Author: Krystyna McNaughton
Publisher: Manchester University Press
ISBN: 1526137941
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 284

Get Book Here

Book Description
This electronic version has been made available under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) open access license. This new edition will be essential reading for all students studying politics at A2 level, as it covers the important issues as required by the main examining boards, and has been specifically tailored to the brand new Edexcel Route A specification. Fully updated to include the global recession and other recent political developments, it looks at the important issues in British politics since 1945. It is also useful as an introductory reader for all those who are interested in the field. Neil McNaughton is a seasoned writer at this level. He examines, on a chapter by chapter basis, the key issues of British politics today; economic policy, the Welfare State, law and order, environment policy, Northern Ireland, issues concerning women, European integration and the European Union, and the impact of the European Union on Britain. In each case he describes the issues in detail and places them in their political context. Written in an accessible style, with helpful features such as summaries, definition, tables and boxes to illuminate the points made and suggestions for additional reading and research, this book is urgently needed as students grapple with the issues thrown up by the new examinations.