Study of non-economic factors in irish economic development

Abstract

The geographical, demographic, financial and political forces that hampered the progress of economic development in Ireland have been debated for many decades; and Ireland's economic lagardliness has been constrasted, directly or by implication, with Britain's prosperity. Undoubtedly persuasive as are many of the arguments couched in these terms, it is no criticism of them to wonder whether they have the final word on so complex a subject. It cannot be a matter for doubt that paucity of natural resources, lack of investment, absentee landlordism, overseas migration, political subjection, all in their various fashions contributed to under-development in the purely economic sense. On the other hand, we must ask whether explanations offered exclusively in such terms are entirely adequate. The question is made the more pointed by our present-day experience of programmes of economic development for the so-called Third World that so often result in failure.