|
|
Post by Jim on Oct 15, 2007 10:13:40 GMT
Went to one of my politics classes (the lecturer is a shag too I'll be attending more often  ) and got handed the essay coursework questions, need to chose one and I'm obviously going to chose the Irish partition question. So I want to start some sort of discussion on it here, I could well write this essay and hand it in now and probably get good marks for it but I want opinions on it. Last time I done this was on the Iraq war and got fairly good marks so I may as well do it again. "There was no alternative to partition:. Discuss this in relation to the Irish settlement of 1920/21. Whats yer ideas? |
|
|
|
Post by Republic on Oct 19, 2007 14:50:05 GMT
The alternative to Partition was to respect the democratic will of the vast majority of the people of Ireland as expressed by the over whelming vote for Sinn Féin, who stood on an Independence platform, in the first GE to follow the WW1. By partitioning Ireland, Britian set a precedent of backing down to threats of violence which it is still paying for today. Up until the foundation of the Republic in 1949, Irish Citizens still had the option of British Citizenship and Ireland was still in the Commonwealth giving Unionists the link to their Monarchy. The alternative to partition was a bloody civil war between nationalists and unionists. Britain could hardly withdraw and allow their own citizens to be Put to the sword in such an event. It is likely that a war fought solely between Irish nationalists and unionists would have been won by nationalists. The alternative to partition was civil war. Complete British withdrawal WAS NOT an alternative. They would be leaving their own citizens outnumbered in a civil war and they would be losing control of their closest neighbour, sending out the wrong message to their other colonies. Britain could not completely withdraw and therefore the only alternative to partition was civil war. |
|
|
|
Post by Republic on Oct 19, 2007 22:24:01 GMT
We had the civil war and the message did go out to the other colonies. India for one. Everyone was their citizens at that time so your points came true anyway. It would have been a completely different civil war, one between pro-union and anti-union Irishmen. The message went out anyway, I dont dispute that. But the politicians in 1920 did not know what was to happen in the following years. At the time, there was no alternative to partition except for civil war. Can you really claim otherwise? Respecting the democratic wishes of the Irish people was not an option for unionists. As far as they were concerned, if Ireland could opt out of the UK, then Ulster could opt out of Ireland. |
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Oct 20, 2007 0:15:09 GMT
honestly, i think the "no alternative" thing to partition was due to british politics at the time.
the liberals where under threat from labour, the liberals where heavily split on imperialism and the empire and ofcourse the conservatives where a unionist party through and through.
the idea that ulster could opt out of ireland is illegitimate and always will be to be honest, regardless of what has happened 80 years later, if it isnt then fermanagh, tyrone, derry and armagh should be able to opt out again and into ireland.
my point being, complete british withdrawal was not an option to save english politicians losing face, they did not give a shit about ulster, loyalists, republicans or otherwise.
|
|
|
|
Post by Republic on Oct 20, 2007 9:23:41 GMT
honestly, i think the "no alternative" thing to partition was due to british politics at the time. the liberals where under threat from labour, the liberals where heavily split on imperialism and the empire and ofcourse the conservatives where a unionist party through and through. the idea that ulster could opt out of ireland is illegitimate and always will be to be honest, regardless of what has happened 80 years later, if it isnt then fermanagh, tyrone, derry and armagh should be able to opt out again and into ireland. my point being, complete british withdrawal was not an option to save english politicians losing face, they did not give a shit about ulster, loyalists, republicans or otherwise. Agree completely. Except I do think the conservatives did care about unionists, I wouldnt quite go as far to say that they didnt give a shit. Otherwise I agree.  |
|
) and got handed the essay coursework questions, need to chose one and I'm obviously going to chose the Irish partition question.
