The Principle Causes of the Irish Civil War

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the reasons for the Irish Civil War of 1922-1923. While the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921 is widely considered the instigation for the war, this paper examines the underlying tensions in the country. The author investigates three primary factors, which he concludes are the actual causes of war: (1) the nationalist split that had developed within the Irish leadership before World War I; (2) the resignation of President Eamon De Valera and his support for the anti-Treaty position; and (3) the the nature of Irish political culture.

From the Paper:

"The nationalist split concerned the basis of the Irish claim for self-determination. Both factions had Irish independence as their goal, yet they differed in their rationale and proposed courses of action. This split pre-dated World War I, but was brought to a crux by the Treaty. One faction claimed national self-determination on the basis of Ireland's equality with other white, English-speaking countries. Rather than focusing on Ireland's uniqueness, this faction emphasized Ireland's similarity to these other countries."

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