BEEF BEFORE THE BALLOT: THE IMPACT OF THE COMMON MARKET ON AGRICULTURE AND POLITICS IN EASTERN IRELAND.
Item
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Title
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BEEF BEFORE THE BALLOT: THE IMPACT OF THE COMMON MARKET ON AGRICULTURE AND POLITICS IN EASTERN IRELAND.
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Identifier
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AAI8515674
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identifier
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8515674
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Creator
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WILSON, THOMAS M.
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Contributor
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Edward Hansen
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Date
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1985
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Anthropology, Cultural
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Abstract
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This dissertation examines the effects of Ireland's membership in the European Economic Community on the relationship between agriculture and politics in eastern Ireland. It explores the weakening of clientilist party politics within the agricultural community of County Meath, which is a result of the improved economic position the farmers of Ireland have enjoyed under Common Market policies. Farmers with large landholdings have been Meath's political elite since the last century, but in the last decade they have lost considerable power due to the processes of government and party centralization, urbanization, and the internationalization of capital and power. As agricultural policy making has increasingly shifted to the continent within the Common Agricultural Policy, local and national politicians are no longer able to guarantee the goods and services they once had. Thus Meath farmers have turned to the Irish Farmers Association as the most powerful national and international agent for their interests. The changed relationship between farmers and politicians in Meath became apparent in February, 1979, when the Irish government proposed more inclusive tax laws for Irish farmers. The resulting tax dispute influenced the subsequent local elections and demonstrated both the volatility of the Irish farm vote and farmer support for the Irish Farmers Association. The role of the shrinking Irish farm electorate within the farmers' organization and Irish party politics has become a vital issue in contemporary Irish political economy and of comparative importance within the European Communities.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Anthropology
