In this chapter you will learn about: • The differences between Belfast's and Dublin’s economy and society • The causes and consequences of the 1913 Strike and Lockout • The key figures of James Larkin and James Connolly
By the end of this chapter you will be able to: • Compare the living and working conditions in Belfast and Dublin • Understand the need for social reform in Ireland and the origins of the labour movement • Assess the successes and failures of the 1913 Lockout
Politics and Economy
While previous chapters have focused on the tension between the political ideologies of nationalism and unionism, the late 19th and early 20th centuries also saw the birth of capitalist and socialist ideologies, as workers and employers clashed over pay and working conditions.
With the exception of Belfast, Ireland’s economy during the later 19th and early 20th centuries was backward compared to other European nations. The Industrial Revolution was in full swing throughout Europe, bringing with it factory- based, industrial production. Cities were growing. Much of the wealth generated from the Industrial Revolution remained in private hands, contributing to the growth of capitalism. Capitalism is an economic and political ideology which holds
that wealth, trade
and industry should be held in private ownership and developed for profit. The growth of capitalism led to the emergence of a new, opposing ideology called socialism.
