William Frederick Bailey

“ Economic Ireland before the Land Acts.
We can best understand Ireland of to-day by comparing it with Ireland of yesterday; by measuring the present by the past. We can thus judge of the social and economic problems that had to be faced and the difficulties that had to be overcome. No more suitable date for purposes of comparison can be taken than the Famine in the middle of the last century. That was the turning point in Irish economic history. ”

“ Men's minds were ever turned to the examination of economic and social questions. All manner of theories were preached, and doctrines propounded for the amelioration of the condition of the people. It was universally recognised that the country was not prosperous, that the economic condition of the people was miserable. ”

“ A third opinion rested it on the perverse character of the people; in this following Bishop Berkeley, who attributed this disposition to the Tartars and Spaniards, from whom he believed Irishmen were descended; while others again thought that the condition of the people was due to the character of the laws.
During the first half of the 19th century, however, with the exception of some sub-letting Acts, there was little legislation of any importance dealing with Irish land. ”