Property, Family and the Irish Welfare State Property, Family and Welfare in Ireland

"This is a welcome and important contribution to the field of Irish social policy and welfare state studies in general ... In elucidating the role of property and land in the development of the welfare state in Ireland and comparing developments in Ireland to those elsewhere, this book takes the analysis of the welfare state into new territory." Professor Mary Daly, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford. "Relationships between families and their homes remain the fundament of well-being around which formal welfare state institutions have and continue to be developed. Michelle Norris articulates this with flourish in this volume, managing to unravel the critical interconnections between property, family and welfare that remain as salient in the twenty-first century as they were in the nineteenth. Ireland provides an insightful socio-historic context in which to explore this relationship and is a case that provides good value for the broader analysis of welfare states across developed societies." Professor Richard Ronald, Centre for Urban Studies, University of Amsterdam. "Michelle Norris has written an outstanding book on the intertwining of property, housing and welfare state development in Ireland. She makes a bold argument that Ireland's development path and welfare model can only be understood through the lens of the politics of property. Her fascinating analysis shows that Ireland is another key case in understanding 'mortgage' or 'privatised' Keynesian political economies. Her book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand Irish society and economy and for any comparative scholar of the welfare state." Professor Seán Ó Rian, Department of Sociology, Maynooth University Ireland. This book examines the long-term development of the Irish welfare state since the late nineteenth century. It contests the consensus view that Ireland, like other Anglophone countries, has historically operated a liberal welfare regime which forces households to rely mainly on the market to maintain their standard of living. Drawing on case studies and key statistical data, this book argues that the Irish welfare state developed differently from most other Western European countries until recent decades. Norris's original line of argument makes the case that Ireland's regime was distinctive in terms of both focus and purpose in that Ireland's welfare state was shaped by the power of small farmers and moral teaching and intended to support a rural, agrarian and familist social order rather than an urban working class and industrialised economy. An well-researched and methodical study, this book will be of great interest to scholars of social policy, sociology and Irish history "This is a welcome and important contribution to the field of Irish social policy and welfare state studies in general ... In elucidating the role of property and land in the development of the welfare state in Ireland and comparing developments in Ireland to those elsewhere, this book takes the analysis of the welfare state into new territory." Professor Mary Daly, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford. "Relationships between families and their homes remain the fundament of well-being around which formal welfare state institutions have and continue to be developed. Michelle Norris articulates this with flourish in this volume, managing to unravel the critical interconnections between property, family and welfare that remain as salient in the twenty-first century as they were in the nineteenth. Ireland provides an insightful socio-historic context in which to explore this relationship and is a case that provides good value for the broader analysis of welfare states across developed societies." Professor Richard Ronald, Centre for Urban Studies, University of Amsterdam. "Michelle Norris has written an outstanding book on the intertwining of property, housing and welfare state development in Ireland. She makes a bold argument that Ireland's development path and welfare model can only be understood through the lens of the politics of property. Her fascinating analysis shows that Ireland is another key case in understanding 'mortgage' or 'privatised' Keynesian political economies. Her book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand Irish society and economy and for any comparative scholar of the welfare state." Professor Seán Ó Rian, Department of Sociology, Maynooth University Ireland. This book examines the long-term development of the Irish welfare state since the late nineteenth century. It contests the consensus view that Ireland, like other Anglophone countries, has historically operated a liberal welfare regime which forces households to rely mainly on the market to maintain their standard of living. Drawing on case studies and key statistical data, this book argues that the Irish welfare state developed differently from most other Western European countries until recent decades. Norris's original line of argument makes the case that Ireland's regime was distinctive in terms of both focus and purpose in that Ireland's welfare state was shaped by the power of small farmers and moral teaching and intended to support a rural, agrarian and familist social order rather than an urban working class and industrialised economy. An well-researched and methodical study, this book will be of great interest to scholars of social policy, sociology and Irish history Property, Family and the Irish Welfare State 3 Acknowledgements 5 Contents 7 Abbreviations and Terminology 8 List of Figures 10 List of Tables 12 1 Introduction 14 The Start of the Story 14 European Stories 16 A Distinctive Irish Story 18 Parallel International Stories 22 Data and Analysis 23 Parts of the Story 26 References 28 2 Establishment: 1870–1921 33 Introduction 33 The Establishment of the Property-Based Welfare System 34 Land Reform 34 The Congested Districts Board 46 Rural Social Housing 50 Urban Social Housing 53 Urban Private Rented Housing and Homeownership 56 Drivers of the Establishment of the Property-Based Welfare System 58 Conclusions 71 References 75 3 Construction: 1922–1947 80 Introduction 80 Construction of the Property-Based Welfare System 82 Land Reform 82 Homeownership Subsidies 94 Social Housing as Property-Based Welfare 102 Drivers of the Construction of the Property-Based Welfare System 104 Conclusions 118 References 120 4 Saturation: 1948–1968 124 Introduction 124 Saturation of the Property-Based Welfare System 125 Land Reform 125 Homeownership Subsidies 138 Social Housing as Property-Based Welfare 145 Drivers of the Saturation of the Property-Based Welfare System 148 Conclusions 162 References 165 5 Retrenchment: 1969–1989 168 Introduction 168 Retrenchment of the Property-Based Welfare System 170 Land Reform 170 Homeownership Subsidies 183 Social Housing as Property-Based Welfare 190 Drivers of the Retrenchment of the Property-Based Welfare System 194 Conclusions 208 References 210 6 Marketisation: 1990–2007 214 Introduction 214 The Emergence of Asset Price Keynesianism 217 Land Use Planning and Housing Supply 217 Credit Availability for House Purchase and Construction 231 Tax Treatment of Property Purchase and Construction 239 Support for Low-Income Tenants and Homebuyers 244 Drivers of the Emergence of Asset Price Keynesianism 251 Conclusions 262 References 265 7 Conclusions 272 Introduction 272 Property as Welfare 273 Why Property Becomes Welfare 275 Property and the Mainstream Welfare State 277 References 281 Index 284 Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Introduction....Pages 1-19 Establishment: 1870–1921....Pages 21-67 Construction: 1922–1947....Pages 69-112 Saturation: 1948–1968....Pages 113-156 Retrenchment: 1969–1989....Pages 157-202 Marketisation: 1990–2007....Pages 203-260 Conclusions....Pages 261-272 Back Matter....Pages 273-279