Fragile but resilient? Democratic consolidation in The Irish Free State

Bibliographic Data

ID6074596
AuthorsBrian Girvin (University of Glasgow, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume39
Issue2
Pages252-275
Publication date2024-04-02
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueIrish Political Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0790-7184 • E-ISSN: 1743-9078
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/07907184.2024.2334493
OpenAlexW4394800603
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited52

Democratic institutions were seriously challenged across Europe between 1917 and 1939. In 1920, most European states were parliamentary democracies, by 1939 the majority had become authoritarian. However, some states weathered the crises they faced and successfully maintained democracy. There is a significant literature on democratic breakdown, but considerable attention has now been given to those that survived. This paper revisits the question of democratic survival by focussing on the Irish Free State and its experience when compared with other European states. It argues that while the Irish Free State was fragile in a comparative context, sharing many of the challenges associated with breakdown, it also showed considerable resilience. Various factors associated with survival and breakdown are critically assessed to explain the positive Irish outcome

Authoritarianism · Democracy · Democratic consolidation · Democratization · Development economics · Economics · European union · International trade · Irish · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Psychological resilience · Sociology · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · History · Irish and British Studies · Law · Psychology · Social Policy and Reform Studies · Social Psychology

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