During the early 1700’s, the characteristics of the Irish economy remained those of underdevelopment with a “narrow range of basic products, a sparse population, recurrent subsistence crises and widespread poverty” (Connolly 41). Segregation between the Catholics and Protestants led to a prolonged economic downturn in Ireland. The minority Protestant population achieve an economic advantage over the Catholics in Ireland through the oppressive Penal laws which were designed to strengthen the Protestant stronghold on Ireland's economy. One of the defining policy under the law required Catholic to divide land equally among male heir and forbad them from purchasing land. This law ended Catholic economical independence as their access to land,
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-In order to maintain control over large Catholic population, the minority Protestant relies on British military, the most powerful military in the world at that time, to enforce laws and bring down Irish uprising.
The heavy presence of British military in Ireland was a result of the reestablishment of English control over Ireland following William III’s (to be Dutch-English King) victory over the Catholic James III in the Williamite War (Hayton 29). A new ruling class known as the Protestant Ascendancy began to seek absolute dominance over Ireland and passed the first part Penal laws in 1695 with a goal of disarming the Catholics (McGrath 26). The passing of this law highlights the hysteria among the Protestant ruling class which fear that future Catholic’s uprising would result in the eradication of Protestant interest in Ireland. The Irish protestants were almost wholly dependent for their safety on English support, and they had no power in resisting any further Irish rebellion (Lecky 136). Moreover, William III’s war with France at the time help kept alive the fear of French invasion and Catholic insurrection in Ireland, thus fuelling the militarisation of Irish Isle (McGrath 28). The constant presence of British military are also due to the close proximity of England and Ireland made it extremely easy for the British to mobilise its forces between the two
-In order to maintain control over large Catholic population, the minority Protestant relies on British military, the most powerful military in the world at that time, to enforce laws and bring down Irish uprising.
The heavy presence of British military in Ireland was a result of the reestablishment of English control over Ireland following William III’s (to be Dutch-English King) victory over the Catholic James III in the Williamite War (Hayton 29). A new ruling class known as the Protestant Ascendancy began to seek absolute dominance over Ireland and passed the first part Penal laws in 1695 with a goal of disarming the Catholics (McGrath 26). The passing of this law highlights the hysteria among the Protestant ruling class which fear that future Catholic’s uprising would result in the eradication of Protestant interest in Ireland. The Irish protestants were almost wholly dependent for their safety on English support, and they had no power in resisting any further Irish rebellion (Lecky 136). Moreover, William III’s war with France at the time help kept alive the fear of French invasion and Catholic insurrection in Ireland, thus fuelling the militarisation of Irish Isle (McGrath 28). The constant presence of British military are also due to the close proximity of England and Ireland made it extremely easy for the British to mobilise its forces between the two