Manchester University Press Electoral Competition in Ireland Since 1987: The Politics of Triumph and Despair

Electoral competition in Ireland since 1987 is a major account of the politics of modern Ireland. Analysing how the Irish state was governed, this book encompasses the spectacular rise and catastrophic fall of the Irish economy, and the concomitant effects this had on politics and society in Ireland over the past quarter century. It assesses the nature of electoral competition in modern Ireland by focusing on a number of key themes that shaped the decisions of Irish politicians. These include the nature of coalition politics in Ireland; the payments to politicians by developers and businessmen that led to a number of tribunals of inquiry; the culture wars over divorce and abortion; the process of the economic collapse to boom and back to collapse cycle that effected the lives of so many Irish people; and the collapse of Ireland's natural party of government, Fianna Fáil. The book assesses how Ireland over the past quarter century was a state which was unable to govern itself effectively without losing its economic sovereignty and explains why, notwithstanding the myriad difficulties of the Irish state, its citizens still seek political answers from familiar quarters. Rigorous in its research and written in a lively and engaging style, this book will inform both a general audience interested in Irish history, as well as a specialist audience, and academics and students studying the political, economic and social strands of the Irish state.