We've come a long way

congo_90

For all the misery of our current climate and job losses etc. I thought this may cheer people up a little

On 29 December 1937 Ireland became the successor-state to the Irish Free State, itself established on 6 December 1922. Ireland was one of the poorest countries in Western Europe and had high emigration. The protectionist economy was opened in the late 1950s and Ireland joined the European Communities (now the European Union) in 1973. An economic crisis led Ireland to start large-scale economic reforms in the late 1980s. Ireland reduced taxation and regulation dramatically compared to other EU countries.[7]

Despite a forecast for reduced economic growth in 2008, Ireland today has the fifth highest gross domestic product per capita and the seventh gross domestic product per capita considering purchasing power parity,[8][9] and has the fifth highest Human Development Index rank in the world. The country also boasts the highest quality of life in the world, ranking first in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Quality-of-life index. Ireland was ranked sixth on the Global Peace Index. Ireland also has high rankings for its education system, political freedom and civil rights, press freedom and economic freedom; it was also ranked fourth from the bottom on the Failed States Index, being one of the few "sustainable" states in the world. Ireland has emerged as an attractive destination for foreign immigrants who now make up approximately 10% of the population. Ireland's population is the fastest growing in Europe with an annual growth rate of 2.5%.

Ireland is a member of the EU, the OECD, and the UN. Ireland's policy of neutrality means it is not a member of NATO, although it does contribute to peacekeeping missions sanctioned by the UN.

source: Linky

Just thought it'd be nice to remind people where we've come from and how we still are one of the higher respected countries.

any opinions on this?

galwayrush

I'd like to read that again in 18 months time.Jury's out until then.:rolleyes:

Biggins

I'd like to know exactly when that was written!

galwayrush

Biggins wrote: »

I'd like to know exactly when that was written!

Or who wrote \ had it written.
Bertie was super at spouting such selective ****.:rolleyes:

The_Minister

I think events have moved on from then, but it is still good to remind people that we aren't cracking open heads and feasting on the goo inside just yet.

OPENROAD

Sorry but no interest what happened back in the 1930's, it is where we are now and where we are going as a country that concerns me.

irish_bob

OPENROAD wrote: »

Sorry but no interest what happened back in the 1930's, it is where we are now and where we are going as a country that concerns me.

+1

i for one cannot live off nostalgia

Senna

My car looks good on paper, 5 doors, fits 4 adults comfortably, cost over 60k less than a few months ago. The reality is;
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5927614,00.jpg

ejmaztec

I think that the quoted piece is from one of Enid Blyton's less well known works entitled "Tempting Fate".

DeVore

Whoever thinks we have "political freedom and civil rights, press freedom" has been smokin' de ganja a bit too much.

We are one of the most strictly controlled countries in the world here, we have a press that is terrified of mentioning anything they cant prove in a court of law and even then they wont print it because of fear of reprisals (Haughey anyone?).

We are more perfectly controlled then China imho. In China if you stand on a soapbox and denounce the government or corrupt elements of society they will shoot you.

Here they shoot the soap box manufacturers. Much more efficient control.

DeV.

ejmaztec

DeVore wrote: »

Whoever thinks we have "political freedom and civil rights, press freedom" has been smokin' de ganja a bit too much.

We are one of the most strictly controlled countries in the world here, we have a press that is terrified of mentioning anything they cant prove in a court of law and even then they wont print it because of fear of reprisals (Haughey anyone?).

We are more perfectly controlled then China imho. In China if you stand on a soapbox and denounce the government or corrupt elements of society they will shoot you.

Here they shoot the soap box manufacturers. Much more efficient control.

DeV.

But in China they lynch a few people when things go a bit pear-shaped.

owenmakken

DeVore wrote: »

Whoever thinks we have "political freedom and civil rights, press freedom" has been smokin' de ganja a bit too much.

We are one of the most strictly controlled countries in the world here, we have a press that is terrified of mentioning anything they cant prove in a court of law and even then they wont print it because of fear of reprisals (Haughey anyone?).

We are more perfectly controlled then China imho. In China if you stand on a soapbox and denounce the government or corrupt elements of society they will shoot you.

Here they shoot the soap box manufacturers. Much more efficient control.

DeV.

Thats reminiscent of the crap spouted by libertas and the likes of the Shell to sea idiots, I'm sure if you where living in a country where the media is tightly controlled you'd feel different - Of course newspapers cant just write what they want unfounded, if it was the case they could bring down any organisation they wanted.

All thats wrong with this country is its bloated public service and over unionised work force.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

I don't know how you can call ireland a 'free state'. Ok, so we have our own government, but so does Afghanistan.

Riddle101

This has cheered me up, okay bring on the Recession:)

brosps

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

I don't know how you can call ireland a 'free state'. Ok, so we have our own government, but so does Afghanistan.

is that supposed to be a joke??

Orizio

DeVore wrote: »

Whoever thinks we have "political freedom and civil rights, press freedom" has been smokin' de ganja a bit too much.

We are one of the most strictly controlled countries in the world here, we have a press that is terrified of mentioning anything they cant prove in a court of law and even then they wont print it because of fear of reprisals (Haughey anyone?).

We are more perfectly controlled then China imho. In China if you stand on a soapbox and denounce the government or corrupt elements of society they will shoot you.

Here they shoot the soap box manufacturers. Much more efficient control.

DeV.

I'm assuming this post is supposed to be humourus, or ironic or something?

Irish people seem to have a inherent self-loathing mechanism that goes off when ever we are doing well. As sceptical as I am about some of the claims in the opening article, we do live in one of the most prosperous and liberal countries in the world. To suggest otherwise is to greatly underestimate the horrors other people's have to go through when confronted by their state or those in power.

javaboy

Orizio wrote: »

I'm assuming this post is supposed to be humourus, or ironic or something?

Irish people seem to have a inherent self-loathing mechanism that goes off when ever we are doing well. As sceptical as I am about some of the claims in the opening article, we do live in one of the most prosperous and liberal countries in the world. To suggest otherwise is to greatly underestimate the horrors other people's have to go through when confronted by their state or those in power.

Actually DeV makes a very good point. When people talk about countries where the media is strictly censored the first name on the list is usually China. It's so blatant and obvious in China because you can physically show that such and such a website is blocked or a certain newspaper is state owned etc. In Ireland it is much more subtle than that. Newspapers could technically have published what they knew about Haughey but didn't because they would have suffered for it. Maybe not directly but strings would be pulled and things would become very difficult for the editor and journalists involved.

It's the very fact that nobody thinks of Ireland as a country with a tightly controlled media that makes it so sinister imo. We are as DeV said perfectly controlled.

To cut a long story short, to the outside observer, we have a free press. That's what makes it so perfect.

brosps

If the media was actually controlled rather than regulated, then we wouldn't even know about haugheys antics in the first place.

ejmaztec

Orizio wrote: »

I'm assuming this post is supposed to be humourus, or ironic or something?

Irish people seem to have a inherent self-loathing mechanism that goes off when ever we are doing well. As sceptical as I am about some of the claims in the opening article, we do did, for a couple of months, live in one of the most prosperous and liberal countries in the world. To suggest otherwise is to greatly underestimate the horrors other people's have to go through when confronted by their state or those in power.

Slight amendment.

Dudess

OPENROAD wrote: »

Sorry but no interest what happened back in the 1930's, it is where we are now and where we are going as a country that concerns me.

irish_bob wrote: »

+1

i for one cannot live off nostalgia

Who's being nostalgic? The article doesn't appear to be saying good things about Ireland's economy pre the 1990s.

DeVore wrote: »

Whoever thinks we have "political freedom and civil rights, press freedom" has been smokin' de ganja a bit too much.

Yes, because we will be tortured and killed if we criticise the undemocratically elected government which is not opposed by any other parties.
Seriously... perspective?

We are one of the most strictly controlled countries in the world here

Could you elaborate? I'm really not aware of any aspect of my day-to-day life being strictly controlled. Now, had I lived in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, that would have been a good description of the way things were.

we have a press that is terrified of mentioning anything they cant prove in a court of law and even then they wont print it because of fear of reprisals (Haughey anyone?)

Money talks. There is caution as to what is published in this country's (privately owned) press because of commercial interests, a trumped-up lawsuit culture, the political agendas of newspapers - which is the case in plenty of western democracies.

We are more perfectly controlled then China imho. In China if you stand on a soapbox and denounce the government or corrupt elements of society they will shoot you.

Here they shoot the soap box manufacturers. Much more efficient control.

An insult to those who are repressed in China and elsewhere. Ironic how you're still able to publish on a website all these criticisms of this terrible, undemocratic country.

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

I don't know how you can call ireland a 'free state'. Ok, so we have our own government, but so does Afghanistan.

Stuff like that really annoys me. Ikky, how can you trivialise what the people of Afghanistan are going through?

Anyone who thinks Ireland is not a free country HAS been smoking too much of the ganja all right... and becoming paranoid with it.

davyjose

The_Minister wrote: »

I think events have moved on from then, but it is still good to remind people that we aren't cracking open heads and feasting on the goo inside just yet.

Mmmmm headgoo