Killing Home Rule with Kindness
What was the background to the Conservative policy of ‘killing Home Rule with kindness’? What measures did they introduce to achieve their aims?
The results of the 1886 election in Britain had far reaching consequences for Ireland and the Home Rule Movement. In Britain too, the events of 1886 changed the nature of politics. Between 1885 and 1886 the Liberals had dominated British politics. The split over Home Rule weakened it. For the next twenty years, up to 1906, the Conservatives were the dominant party. As a whole, the party fervently believed that Home Rule was for the good of Ireland and the Empire. They believed that the people of Ireland did not actually want Home Rule but were led astray by clever agitators like Parnell. And so, to quieten the voice of Home Rule in Ireland, the Tory Government adopted a policy sometimes called as ‘killing Home Rule with kindness’ but more formally known as ‘Constructive Unionism’.
Surprisingly, Constructive Unionism originated within the Liberal Party from a leading Radical named Joseph Chamberlain. He felt that the way Britain ran Irish affairs was unfair and undemocratic. The most suitable way to solve this problem he thought was to make local government more democratic. In 1885, Irish counties were run by unelected Grand Juries. Chamberlain wanted to replace them with county councils, elected by people who paid local taxes. He also suggested that Irish MPs and members of the local councils should meet in a ‘Central Board’, which would deal with internal Irish affairs, such as railways and land. He presented this idea to Parnell who originally expressed an interest in the Central Board idea, but later announced that he would not consider it as an alternative to a proper Irish parliament.
New agitation began to arise shortly after the formation of the Conservative government with ‘The Plan of Campaign’ being championed by several leading Home Rulers. In response, Lord Salisbury appointed a new chief Secretary,
The results of the 1886 election in Britain had far reaching consequences for Ireland and the Home Rule Movement. In Britain too, the events of 1886 changed the nature of politics. Between 1885 and 1886 the Liberals had dominated British politics. The split over Home Rule weakened it. For the next twenty years, up to 1906, the Conservatives were the dominant party. As a whole, the party fervently believed that Home Rule was for the good of Ireland and the Empire. They believed that the people of Ireland did not actually want Home Rule but were led astray by clever agitators like Parnell. And so, to quieten the voice of Home Rule in Ireland, the Tory Government adopted a policy sometimes called as ‘killing Home Rule with kindness’ but more formally known as ‘Constructive Unionism’.
Surprisingly, Constructive Unionism originated within the Liberal Party from a leading Radical named Joseph Chamberlain. He felt that the way Britain ran Irish affairs was unfair and undemocratic. The most suitable way to solve this problem he thought was to make local government more democratic. In 1885, Irish counties were run by unelected Grand Juries. Chamberlain wanted to replace them with county councils, elected by people who paid local taxes. He also suggested that Irish MPs and members of the local councils should meet in a ‘Central Board’, which would deal with internal Irish affairs, such as railways and land. He presented this idea to Parnell who originally expressed an interest in the Central Board idea, but later announced that he would not consider it as an alternative to a proper Irish parliament.
New agitation began to arise shortly after the formation of the Conservative government with ‘The Plan of Campaign’ being championed by several leading Home Rulers. In response, Lord Salisbury appointed a new chief Secretary,