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Emancipation - The Campaign for Free Trade in Ireland - Coggle Diagram
Emancipation - The Campaign for Free Trade in Ireland
Restrictions on Irish Trade
Navigation Act designed to protect British agriculture and manufacturing industries
1660s Navigation Acts restricted Irish trade merchants to some of plantation trade with America
1665 Ireland forbidden to ship goods directly to the colonies
Cattle Act 1667 excluded Irish meat from the English market
1733 Molasses Act prohibited the import sugar
Irish still very active in trading with America
Shift towards tillage where Ireland had natural comparative advantage (eg linen)
The Wool Act 1699 prohibited the export of wool from Ireland
The Campaign for Free Trade
British government imposed a trade boycott on Irish trade with Americans in 1776
Boycott led to severe reductions in revenue and doubled the national debt
High deficit led to high interest rates making Ireland nearly bankrupt so forced to from borrow private banks (1778 £30,000 from La Touche)
Rise in Volunteer movement
Strategic importance
Bargaining power
Became highly politicised
Volunteers urged consumers to boycott English goods and if they didn't they were publicly shamed in newspapers
4th November 1779 Revolution
Kings birthday
On the central political square of the College Green
Cards saying 'free trade or else' and 'free trade or a speedy revolution'
Grattan and the Patriots passed 'short money bill' meaning the Irish government would only govern 6 months worth of tax revenue
Impact on the Irish economy
Increased manufacturing of luxury items
25 coach builders
Expanding retail economy
50 cabinet makers
30 gold and silver smiths
Many tea and coffee shops
Irish brewing benefitted
Helped by rising prosperity in Ireland
Due to growth of ports in Dublin, Belfast and Cork
Cotton industry expanded
Opening up direct trade with the US causing expansion
Challenge to the linen industry
Jubilation in Ireland in 1779
Dublin became more important
Due to increased independence
Seen through building of the Custom House and the Four Courts
Seen with the making of the Bank of Ireland
Also see with the creation of the Royal Irish ascendency and the Royal College of Surgeons
The Free Trade Act 1779
Did fall short of demand
Did incorporate Ireland into imperial trade networks
Due to losing war in America, British government were forced to concede to Irish pressure
Granted right to trade directly with British colonies
Lord North's government repealed many of previous acts most notably allowing Ireland to freely export its woollen and glass manufacturers
The Constitution 1782
Led to an era of Irish parliamentary independence until the Act of Union in 1801
Within 3 months the Constitution of 1782 was made
Pitt and Free Trade
In 1785 Pitt sought through commercial propositions which involved free trade between Britain and Ireland
Influenced by Adam Smith
Believed that monopolies should be abolished to increase competition to lower prices and increase overall profits
Worried that British markets were just going to be flooded with cheap food
'Dungannon Convention'
Involved 140 delegates and they produced a radical manifesto in 1782
Called for legislative independence
Wanted repeal of the 1720 Declaratory Act and rewrite the Poynings Law