Liam Weeks Bücher

This book examines the phenomenon of the independent politician, believed to be extinct in most political systems. It is very much alive and well in Ireland, and has experienced a considerable resurgence in recent years. Independents won a record number of seats in 2016 and had three ministers appointed to cabinet. This presence is very unusual from a comparative perspective, and there are more independents in the Irish parliament than the combined total in all other industrial democracies.The aim of this book is to explain this anomaly, how and why independents can endure in a democracy that is one of the oldest surviving in Europe and has historically had one of the most stable party systems.

Exploring the intricacies of local government, this book offers a comprehensive analysis of local elections in Ireland, highlighting their significance within the democratic framework. It delves into the issues and processes that shape local governance, providing readers with a deeper understanding of how these elections function and their impact on the community.

The Irish state came into being as a result of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which was signed by a Sinn Féin delegation and the British government at 10 Downing Street in the early hours of 6 December that year. The Treaty was a culmination of both a revolutionary movement that had begun the previous decade and of centuries of separate nationalist attempts to gain autonomy from the United Kingdom. Although it is the founding document of the Irish state, the Treaty has been the subject of very little critical analysis, certainly in proportion to its significance. In its centenary year, this book examines the Treaty's legacy and its implications for the state that it created. It explores three key elements: the contemporary circumstances that produced the Treaty; the Treaty's significance from a comparative and an international perspective; and the impact of the Treaty both in the short-term and the long-term. Birth of a State is unique in that it is written by authors from two different disciplines - history and political science - who each bring their own perspectives on the Treaty and its impact, both then and now.