The Rise and Fall of Ireland's Celtic Tiger
Liberalism, Boom and Bust

A new explanation of the Irish economic crisis, tracing its roots in Ireland's earlier record of growth and development.

Seán Ó Riain (Author)

9781107009820, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 20 March 2014

324 pages, 59 b/w illus. 40 tables
23.4 x 15.7 x 1.9 cm, 0.65 kg

'O'Riain's book is the first to tackle systemically the deep societal factors that help explain the kind of dramatic economic collapses that have occurred in the past three generations.' Dublin Review of Books

In 2008 Ireland experienced one of the most dramatic economic crises of any economy in the world. It remains at the heart of the international crisis, sitting uneasily between the US and European economies. Not long ago, however, Ireland was celebrated as an example of successful market-led globalisation and economic growth. How can we explain the Irish crisis? What does it tell us about the causes of the international crisis? How should we rethink our understanding of contemporary economies and the workings of economic liberalism based on the Irish experience? This book combines economic sociology and comparative political economy to analyse the causes, dynamics and implications of Ireland's economic 'boom to bust'. It examines the interplay between the financial system, European integration and Irish national politics to show how financial speculation overwhelmed the economic and social development of the 1990s 'Celtic Tiger'.

1. Liberalism in crisis
2. Ireland: between development and crisis
3. Capital: the triumph of finance
4. Europe: between market and diversity
5. National politics: governing fragmentation, fragmented governance
6. Crisis: the difficult politics of development and liberalism.

Subject Areas: Economic & financial crises & disasters [KCX], Political economy [KCP], Economic growth [KCG]