Sample Answer for Anglo Irish Treaty 1921

Essay Plan

INTRO:

• Both sides had vastly different goals; de Valera didn't attend, and proposals were unacceptable, leading to ongoing war threats.

BODY PARAGRAPHS:

1. Selection of negotiation teams.
2. Role of envoy plenipotentiaries.
3. British proposals outlined.
4. Irish counter-proposals.
5. Key areas of disagreement.
6. Formation of subcommittees.
7. Discussion of the Boundary Commission.
8. Debate over the Oath of Allegiance.
9. Terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
10. Reaction to the treaty.

CONCLUSION:

• Oath of Allegiance caused deep division; anti-treaty sentiment led to the treaty passing, de Valera's departure, and civil war.

Sample Essay

The negotiations and terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty (1921) were controversial for multiple reasons. The British and Irish had massively different goals, which was a problem even before the negotiations. De Valera refused to attend as an Irish delegate, which complicated communication. As a result of the lack of de Valera's leadership, both sides made unacceptable proposals, leading to threats of a continued war. Ideally, all controversies would have been ironed out during the negotiations, so the terms of the Treaty would benefit both Ireland and Britain.

One of the first controversies was choosing a team of delegates to attend the negotiations. De Valera had refused to go, partly because he knew achieving a 32-county Ireland was impossible. He suggested Michael Collins as a delegate, who reluctantly agreed. Collins, along with the others chosen, had little experience with diplomacy, unlike Churchill and Lloyd George, who had just returned from the Paris Peace Conference. The first controversy occurred before the negotiations even began.

The subsequent dispute resulted from confusion over the Irish delegate's power. They had to report to De Valera every evening, informing him of all developments. The controversy of plenipotentiaries not having full power of diplomatic agents was argued. This was due to the constant communication with de Valera back in Dublin. Eventually, the planning session was set to begin on October 11, 1921. A big and consistent issue with the negotiations was the question of how much power Irish delegates had.

The British then offered their first proposal entirely on their terms. The two sides had massively different viewpoints. The British did not want Ireland to leave the empire and offered Dominion Status. Other proposals were made. Trade and a free market, finance, and British military control over Irish waters were proposed and discussed. These topics were more easily negotiated than Ulster's position and Ireland's relation to the crown. The Irish opposition to the Oath of Allegiance was one of the most significant controversies during treaty negotiations.

The Irish followed with counterproposals. They were anxious to stick to their proposals but had to give more concessions. They wanted the British commonwealth to recognise Ireland as a sovereign state and wished for no interference in Irish affairs. The first primary session ended with a discussion about trade. Core issues concerning Ireland's relationships with the commonwealth were yet to be discussed, and these talks were the source of yet another concern.

Ulster's topic came up in the fourth session. Partition was deemed unnatural, and the lack of British understanding of the Irish Question was evident. The British also offered dominion status under the Government of Ireland Act, which the Irish opposed because it did not include complete republican independence. De Valera's external association policy (which meant Irish and British citizens had equal rights) was discussed but rejected. Both sides were unhappy because the other wanted either more or less independence. Independence was a core controversy in the Treaty's negotiations and terms.

Subcommittees discussed less controversial matters like trade and defence. These highlighted the lack of progress on Ulster and its status in the commonwealth topics. Eventually, a compromise had to be made. On the 30th of October, Griffith agreed to Ireland's membership in the Commonwealth and Allegiance to the crown in return for complete Irish unity. Britain would have to convince Ulster to agree with these terms. Allegiance and status within the commonwealth sparked the most controversy out of all treaty negotiations.

Lloyd George proposed the idea of a boundary commission to adjust the border between the north and south of Ireland, giving the southern areas a Catholic majority. However, under these conditions, Ulster would collapse. Unionists were allowed to opt out of the all-Ireland parliament in exchange for the boundary commission's going ahead. Ulster and its borders were a massive controversy during treaty terms negotiations.

The Oath of Allegiance was one of the leading causes of the Civil War. As the British were adamant about a dominion status, delegates asked de Valera to attend, but he refused again, as he emphasised external association. The benefits of the negotiations were that the British offered more than expected, but the drawback was that Irish unity was impossible. Though the Dáil instructed Griffith not to accept the Oath of Allegiance or dominion, de Valera was not contactable. The signing of the Treaty on the 6th of December, which established the Irish Free State, was the most controversial move.

The terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty included 18 Articles. The first two concerned the Irish Free State and dominion status. The fourth outlined the Irish MP's oath of Allegiance, which swore to the Irish constitution and the King. Articles 11 through 15 discussed the boundary commission and the new border. Finally, the last two articles gave Sinn Féin's provisional government power when the Treaty was signed. The Articles of the Treaty summarised all the controversies met along the way.

Overall, the reaction to the Treaty was warm because the British withdrew from Ireland for the first time in 700 years. The exclusion of Ulster seemed temporary. However, polarisation occurred within the Dáil: those who were pro-treaty and those who were anti-treaty. Hard-line Republicans accused the others of treason, as the Treaty did not satisfy national ideals, whereas pro-Treaty members were satisfied with the end of the war and the deals the Treaty offered. The split in the Dáil was the final controversy caused by the Treaty, its negotiations and clauses.

In conclusion, many saw the Treaty as a stepping stone to achieving further freedom. It gave Ireland dominion status similar to Canada and offered more than Home Rule ever did. After the Treaty was approved by the Dáil by a narrow majority, de Valera, who opposed it, resigned himself and his cabinet. Both sides felt betrayed by the other, which led the nation to spiral into a bloody civil war.