The Achievements of the Cumann na nGaedheal Government 1923-1932
#625Lab – History, marked 89/100, detailed feedback at the very bottom. You may also like: Leaving Cert History Guide (€). Credit: Eimear O’Sullivan
The Cumann na nGaedhael Government was elected two years after the signing of the Anglo Irish (Anglo-Irish – watch out for this hyphen) Treaty. It had the unenviable task of leading a country that had experienced a war of independence and a civil war, over the previous five years. The country was a turbulent place, uncertainty came with everything. For the first time in a long time, Ireland had the majority control over it’s (it’s means it is, you should have used its here) own country. It is overwhelming to even think about the work that lay ahead of Cosgrave’s government. Taking all this into consideration, Cumann na nGaedheal, did exceptionally well, considering their circumstances.
With the country just recovering from the Civil War, law and order was hard to maintain. Cumann na nGaedheal feared that the IRA would continue to resist the new Free State, so the Public Safety Acts were passed in 1923. It gave extensive powers to the Government in the area of law and order. They increased the powers of arrest and detention and were effective in dealing with armed attacks and robberies. Easily, as one of the most lasting achievements of Cumann na nGaedhael was the establishment of An Garda Síochána. This was a new, unarmed police force, replacing the Royal Irish Constabulary. They were drawn largely from the ranks of the pro-Treaty IRA and soon established a high level of public support. An Garda Síochána played a critical role in restoring law and order throughout Ireland. The old British and Sinn Féin courts were abolished and in their place stood the District Court, Circuit Court, High Court and the Supreme Court. The District and Circuit Courts dealt with small issues while the High and Supreme Courts dealt with serious cases. Kevin O’Higgins, Minister for Home Affairs, was the key role in restoring stability to the country. Cumann na nGaedheal undeniably did outstandingly in the issue of law and order which was a huge achievement for them.
The economic policy of Cumann na nGaedheal was conservative. This policy was characterised by a desire to keep taxation and government expenditure low. Banks, large farmers and the wealthy Anglo-Irish community gave success to the government, economically. Ireland’s decision to keep its link with Sterling allowed the Irish Free State avoid the mistake of other European countries, such as Weimar Germany, where heavy inflation proved crippling to the economy. In a largely rural society, agriculture rather than industry remained the principal economic concern of Cumann na nGaedheal. Agriculture was the greatest source of employment and accounted for over 80 per cent of total exports. Steps were taken by Patrick Hogan to stimulate agriculture. Land purchase was completed by the Land Commission; greater emphasis was put on agricultural instruction; the Agricultural Credit Corporation was established to encourage farmers to borrow for investment. The biggest achievement of the Cumann na nGaedheal Government in relation to agriculture was the increase of agricultural exports to Britain.
Industrial Development was impeded by a number of difficulties. These included, lack of capital investment, absence of raw materials and intense competition from cheaper British imported goods. Free trade was implemented, rather than protection tariffs. However, in response to pressure from smaller industries, the Minister for Finance, Ernst Blythe, placed tariffs on imported goods. Protectionism proved beneficial for those smaller industries. The biggest industrial achievement was the establishment of a hydroelectric station at Ardnacrusha. This addressed the major need for a source of electricity for industrial and domestic use. During the construction period the Shannon Scheme provided employment for 4,000 Irish people. In 1927, the government set up a semi-state body, the Electricity Supply Board, to oversee the production and distribution of electricity. The ESB totally transformed living and working conditions. Industrial Development was a huge success of the Cumann na nGaedhael Government, as it improved the lives of people in Ireland.
The social policy of the Cumann na nGaedheal Government was in line with it’s (its) economic policy. The Department of Local Government and Public Health was established in 1924, to attempt to reform the country’s public healthcare system. Although this wasn’t completely successful, the government cleverly relied on the involvement of the religious orders in the country, for example, the Catholic Church. These included priests, brothers and nuns, all involved in healthcare and education. The intervention of these religious orders resulted in the condition of the lives of the poor being hugely improved. As the Cumann na nGaedheal government was already under pressure most primary and secondary schools remained under control of these religious orders taking pressure off the Cosgrave Government.
The Irish Free State inherited an extensive system of education from the British administration. Under the direction of Eoin MacNeill, the Minister for Education, some important changes were introduced. A new Department of Education was set up, taking over the old National and Intermediate Boards of Education. The Department attempted to improve attendance and introduce reforms in the curriculum. The School Attendance Act made school compulsory for children between the ages of six and fourteen. The old Intermediate exams were abolished and replaced by the Intermediate and Leaving Certificate examinations. The most important innovation introduced into the education system of the Irish Free State was undoubtedly the promotion of the Irish Language. All primary schools were instructed to teach Irish for at least one hour each day. Schools which taught all subjects exclusively through Irish were given increased grants. The position of Irish in the education system reflected government support for the revival of the Irish Language. This was a major achievement as better education resulted in the people of Ireland being better able to get good, well paying (well-paying – you need a hyphen to make this an adjective) jobs.
The establishment of an independent foreign policy was a task that Cumann na nGaedheal began working at right away. Ireland was in a very different position to many of the other dominions because she was an ancient nation that had struggled to gain independence and was aware that close geographical position made her vulnerable to a curtailment of her powers. From its inception, the government was anxious to vindicate Michael Collins’ view of the Treaty as a stepping stone to greater freedom. The first example of having an independent foreign policy was the successful application to join the League of Nations in 1923. In October 1924, the Government sent a representative to the USA. Before this, members of the Commonwealth depended on the British ambassador in other countries. By 1932 the Irish Free State had established diplomatic links with many countries abroad.
During the 1920’s the Irish Free State and other members of the British Commonwealth sought to redefine and expand the concept of dominion status. These developments evolved at Imperial Conferences, held at regular intervals to discuss the Commonwealth affairs. The Balfour Declaration was declared at the 1926 Imperial Conference. It stated that the dominions were “autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated members of the British Commonwealth of Nations”. It paved the way for the 1930 Imperial Conference, where the Statute of Westminster was passed. This law declared that Britain would no longer pass laws binding on dominions without their consent. Dominion parliaments could also change laws passed by Britain on their behalf. The Statute of Westminster marked the high point of the independent foreign policy pursued by the Cosgrave, Cumann na nGaedheal Government. It marked the end of the British involvement in the internal affairs of the Irish Free State. This was easily one of the biggest achievements under the Cumann na nGaedheal Government, and one of the most lasting.
Under Cumann na nGaedheal, there were numerous improvements made for Ireland. Law and order was brought about, agriculture was reformed, education was improved, industrial development was increased and Ireland’s independence was highlighted. These achievements had lasting effects. Ireland still has proof of these ground-breaking advances. An Garda Síochána is one of the most respected government bodies today. The Courts are still being used and Irish, as a language, is still being spoken daily. It is safe to say, Cumann na nGaedheal did an exceptional job of leading a beaten, fragile county to being a strong independent state.
Feedback: This is a really well-written and coherent essay. Your points flow well from one to another and every paragraph directly answers the questions with lots of relevant factual information, which is exactly what examiners are looking out for. You used one quote really well in the last paragraph of the main body – try to incorporate more into future essays as they show that you’ve done the reading. Just watch out for tiny grammatical errors like confusing “it’s” and “its” (I-T-Apostrophe-S means It Is). The examiner can take marks off if they feel that there are too many errors in grammar or spelling. Your conclusion is really good because you relate the essay to the modern day, which saves you from just summarising.
Cumulative Mark: Each of these paragraphs could achieve about 6 marks out of 12 (it’s very hard to get much higher than 7 or 8). The way to bring this up would be to include some more interesting judgement or commentary on the topic, or to show off by including quotations from historians or historical figures. As it stands with 9 paragraphs, this would bring you up to 54 out of a possible 60 for your Cumulative Mark. You could improve your chances of getting 60 by adding another paragraph of a similar standard.
Overall Evaluation Mark: This essay is really well-written and is bookended by a good introduction and a conclusion. Your paragraphs flow logically, and the question is clearly answered. For Overall Evaluation, I’d give this about a 35 out of 40. Just mind your little grammar mistakes!
Total mark: 89/100