50
Pete Hodson
164). The debilitating psychological affliction of the siege mentality
that dogged the ruling UUP, was exacerbated by the irredentist claims
of the 1937 Irish Constitution (Walker 2004: 55). It is important to emphasise that although the two States readily embraced authoritarianism,
they were far from the crypto-fascist regimes alluded to by Farrell in
his analysis of the ‘Orange State’ (1980: 97). Unlike much of the rest of
Europe, democracy remained both popular and resilient in the two new
Irish polities (Kissane 2002: 13).
Administration
The parliamentary mechanics and bureaucratic administration of both
States exhibited homage to their British predecessor, but governmental
effectiveness was hampered by ministerial inexperience and a lack of political accountability. Abstentionism3 found a mixed reception in the two
Parliaments, providing the UUP and Cumann na nGaedheal the ability to
unilaterally amend and ratify legislation, but denying bills representative
cons ent. Despite – or, mistakenly, perhaps because of – the size of the
Northern political opposition, which was ominously close to the critical
mass required to overthrow Unionist rule, the UUP made little attempt
to draw Joseph Devlin’s Nationalist Party into the Parliament of Northern Ireland. Pressure from the Catholic Church4 rather than the UUP
eventually persuaded the Nationalist MPs to take their seats (Staunton
2001: 94). Cosgrave’s approach to “the menace” (Gwynn 1928: 153) of
abstention was rather different, though his response – criminalising the
practice – was belated and only introduced amid a flurry of coercive legislation in 1927 to avert a descent into revolutionary violence. As neither
Government could rely on politicians with prior ministerial responsibility, parliamentary members awarded a ministerial post were perceptibly
3 The
practice of refusing to recognise the legitimacy of, and thus boycotting, Parliament
by a political party.
4 The Catholic Church was keen for Nationalist Party MPs to take their seats in order that
they protect the social structure provided by the Church in the sphere of education and
welfare.