Political Economy and Colonial Ireland

<p><strong>`I believe that next to good Religious education, a sound knowledge of Political Economy would tend as much to tranquilize this country, if not more, than any other branch of knowledge that can be taught in schools.'</strong> - <em>Cork Schools Inspector, 1853</em><br> In a nineteenth century Ireland that was divided socially, economically, politically and denominationally, consensus was sought in the new discipline of political economy, which claimed to be scientifically impartial and to transcend all divisions. The authors explore the ideological mission of political economy, and the reasons for the failure of that mission in the wake of the crisis induced by the great famine of 1846/47.</p> <p>1 POLITICAL ECONOMY: ‘A SCIENCE UNKNOWN IN IRELAND’ 2 THE WHATELY CHAIR OF POLITICAL ECONOMY AT TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, 1832–1900 3 POLITICAL ECONOMY AT THE QUEEN’S COLLEGES IN IRELAND (BELFAST, CORK, GALWAY), 1845–1900 4 <i>EASY LESSONS ON MONEY MATTERS: </i>POLITICAL ECONOMY IN THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS 5 ‘TO THE POOR THE GOSPEL ITS PREACHED’: THE DUBLIN STATISTICAL SOCIETY AND THE BARRINGTON LECTURES 6 ‘NEXT TO GODLINESS’: POLITICAL ECONOMY, IRELAND, AND IDEOLOGY</p>