1922: The Birth of Irish Democracy

by Tom Garvin

Garvin (politics, U. College, Dublin) examines the birth of the Irish state in the context of European history and the vicious civil war that was raging between internal factions at the time. Arguing that the conflict was over whether the Irish should be ruled by a popular majority or a virtuous but unaccountable minority, he says radical Republicanism was never widely popular and that the Irish succeeded in instituting a moderate and realistic regime under mainstream nationalists. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Genres: Ireland, History

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1996

About the author

Tom Christopher Garvin was an Irish political scientist and historian. He was Professor Emeritus of Politics at University College Dublin. He retired from lecturing duties in August 2008. He was an alumnus of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC.

Reviews

[Stu Broom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garvin does a good job of clearing up some of the fog that clouds our thinking when it comes to Irish nationalism. He shows that the pragmatism displayed by those who accepted the treaty was by no means contrary to the sentiment of nationalist Ireland but was in fact far more in touch with the ordianary "person on the street" than the romantic nationalism of those that rejected the treaty.

[Kevin Ó · Rating 1 out of 5]

Product of the later twentieth century Irish Troubles

Unfortunately this book, like many of its period, was composed as a polemic to combat the political ideology of the Provisional IRA, rather than an actual academic-standard history book. The author's conclusions are outdated, and informed more so by the political of the 1990s than the 1920s. Evidence is used selectively and not in its proper context. A classic case of a historical work in which the historian had pre-conceived conclusions and used the evidence to try and prove these hypotheses, instead of the other way around. An outdated, partisan work, not worth your time in 2023 when other much more insightful, broadminded works are widely available.

[Gearóid Ó · Rating 4 out of 5]

A provocative and challenging perspective on the formation of the Irish State. Much sound analysis with compelling arguments. A weakness, though, is a lack of focus on any responsibility on the part of Great Britain, Ulster Unionism, Ulster Volunteers, Church of Ireland, Universities and others for the way events and viewpoints evolved in those first decades of the 20th century. The late Tom Garvin does not address the role of Britain until the second last paragraph on Page 206 of the book when he writes "The last reason for Irish violence was British violence....." This warranted more discussion, but nevertheless, he dispelled many of the other myths around the formation of the State, of which he was still considerably proud.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've only read the few chapters directly related to the events before the Civil War, but those I enjoyed thoroughly. The perspective on the IRA and the in-detail study of IRA members and their views of the pre-Civil War events was very helpful in my research. Exploring the topic from a political perspective instead of an historical one deepens the analysis of the Treaty and puts the Irish history in a different light.

[Denerick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A groundbreaking study of the Irish Civil War and a devastating critique of the 'virtuous minority' (AKA, the anti-treaty side) and the Democrats (Pro Treaty)

A warm rehabilitation of the Cumann na nGaedhal generation, too long pushed aside as some sort of traitor by the Fianna Fail dominated Irish Republic.