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How far would you agree that the success of the SF in the general election of 1918 was due
to the shortcomings of the Irish Parliamentary Party? (20) (Modal answer)
Different reasons contributed to Sinn Fein’s Success in 1918. This includes the shortcomings
of the Irish parliamentary party, the appeal of Sinn Fein, the actions taken by the British
government and other reasons combined to lead to the ultimate success.
The IPP's weakness was mostly due to the poor leadership under Redmond.
- This was first seen in the breakdown of Lloyd George's negotiations. Redmond
shifted from his earlier position of immediate Home Rule for all of Ireland and agreed
to the temporary exclusion of the six counties, while Lloyd George had previously
given Carson written confirmation that exclusion would be permanent.
- This exposed tensions within the ranks of even constitutional nationalism like Dillon,
feeling that Redmond had conceded too much to Ulster Unionists and the British
Government.
- The later collapse of the negotiations was a disastrous blow for the IPP.
- Similarly, the involvement in the Irish convention has further weakened the IPP, as it
again failed to deal with the Ulster question. Meanwhile, Sinn Fein, who denounced
the convention as futile, benefitted from its failure.
- Furthermore, as seen in his Woodenbridge speech, Redmond's support for the war
extended the war's unpopularity to the IPP.
- Sinn Fein, on the other hand, takes a more popular anti-war stance and appeals to a
larger group of nationalists. This was the case during the conscription crisis, which
shattered any possibility of an IPP recovery.
- In March 1918, a German offensive created a shortage of manpower. The British
government decided to extend conscription to Ireland. As president of Sinn Fein, De
Valera drew up an anti-conscription pledge in response. The Irish Volunteers have
also surged in numbers and collectively threatened to resist any British attempt to
impose conscription.
- In response to the bill's passing, Dillon led the IPP to leave parliament. While a party
truce emerged as leading Sinn Feiners and Nationalist MPs shared public platforms
to denounce the government’s actions, the public had to weigh Sinn Feinn's constant
denunciation of Irish participation in the war against the IPP’s earlier support. This
has naturally made people turn to supporting Sinn Fein for leadership over the IPP.
- Paradoxically, later, Redmond’s decision to disassociate himself from the British
Government by refusing to join the wartime cabinet weakened the position of the IPP
while power was passed to Ulster unionists.
Therefore, the widespread disillusionment with Home Rule, IPP support for the war, and IPP
no longer holding the balance of power and couldn’t influence the government in ways it had
previously been able to have led the electorates to shift to voting for Sinn Fein. The role of
Sinn Fein’s uncompromising abstentionist tactics, as regards Westminster and Irish
conventions, and stance on anti-war skilfully contrasted to the conciliatory IPP appeared
weak in comparison.
Therefore, the shortcomings of the IPP had a major impact, to some extent, yet Sinn Fein's
opposing stance to the IPP led to its success in the general election of 1918.
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