Building Democracy in Ireland: Political Order and Cultural Integration in a Newly Independent Nation

by Jeffrey Prager

Overview

Most of the independent nations of the twentieth century have been racked by political disorder and social instability. Ireland is one of the few to have successfully established a stable democratic order. In this book, Jeffrey Prager examines the first decade of Irish independence in order to explain how the Republic of Ireland achieved democracy. In so doing, he provides a deeper understanding of the Irish case while shedding light on the process of democratic consolidation in modern state-building. His combination of political and cultural approaches also contributes to the development of a political sociology that encompasses the problem of cultural meaning as a crucial domain of analysis. By exploring the interconnections between political structures, social activities, and cultural legacies, he promotes an awareness of the vital dimensions of political life and institutions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521125116
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	12/10/2009
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.63(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; Part I. Democracy in Ireland: Theoretical and Empirical Problems: 1. Introduction: theoretical considerations in the study of political stability in new nations; 2. Irish cultural schisms and the meaning of political disorder; 3. The free state constitution and the institutionalisation of value strains; Part II. Patterns of Crisis Resolution in the Irish Free State, 1922–1932: 4. The Army mutiny and normative political challenges; 5. The boundary commission crisis and the development of strategies of political efficacy; 6. The limits of effective rule: the assassination of Kevin O'Higgins and its aftermath; Part III. The Character of Irish Democracy: 7. The democratic achievement in Ireland: the reconciliation of culture and politics; 8. The uniqueness of Irish democracy; Notes; References; Index.