A Study in the History of the Financial Relations between Great Britain and Ireland before the First World War

The Purpose of this Research is to make clear the financial backgrounds and constitutional significances of the Government of Ireland Act of 1914，by researching the financial relations between Great Britain and Ireland during1800 and 1914.The Research Results are summarized as follows：(1)After the legislative Union of 1800 and the financial union during the liberalistic period，the Irish agricultural problems，local and national financial problems and goventate of the financial union during the the Financial union of the Greitution of the Greitutional significances of the Governation of the Grestitution of the Grestitutional，the Grestitutional.Therefore，the Local Government(Ireland)Act of 1898was enacted，by which the representative councils like as councils were established and the grant-in-aids like as agricultural grants were provided，especially in order to remove the rates burdens of the landed classes.(3)By such grant-in-aids and especially the old age pensions since 1908，the Irish“local expenditures”from the Irish“true reenvery。In1911，consequently，the Report by the Committee on Irish Finance reported that the Irish“imperial contributions”had become a minus。In1912，therefore，Prime Minister Asquith introduced the Government of Ireland Bill of l9l2，arguing that“Home Rule would be a means of···giving Irishmen a direct interest in economy···and a direct responsibility for waste”。The Bill was enacted in 1914，according to the provisions of the Parliament Act of 1911.

The Purpose of this Research is to make clear the financial backgrounds and constitutional significances of the Government of Ireland Act of 1914, by researching the financial relations between Great Britain and Ireland during 1800 and 1914.The Research Results are summarized as follows :(1)After the legislative Union of 1800 and the financial union during the liberalistic period, the Irish agricultural problems, local and national financial problems, and governmental problems were aggravated by "the Great Depression in Agriculture" during the late of the 19th century.(2) In 1896, the Final Report of the Royal Commission of the Financial Relations between Great Britain and Ireland declared that Ireland had been greatly overtaxd for many years. Therefore, the Local Government (Ireland) Act of 1898 was enacted, by which the representative councils like as county councils were established and the grant-in-aids like as agricultural grants were provided, especially in order to remove the rates burdens of the landed classes.(3) By such grant-in-aids and especially the old age pensions since 1908, the Irish "local expenditures" from the Irish "true revenues" were increased very rapidly. In 1911, consequently, the Report by the Committee on Irish Finance reported that the Irish "imperial contributions" had become a minus. In 1912, therefore, Prime Minister Asquith introduced the Government of Ireland Bill of l9l2, arguing that "Home Rule would be a means of・・・giving Irishmen a direct interest in economy・・・and a direct responsibility for waste". The Bill was enacted in 1914, according to the provisions of the Parliament Act of 1911.