ABSTRACT
This chapter will argue that the Famine in nineteenth-century Ireland marked a turning point in the theoretical basis of Irish economic thought. Prior to the Famine, Irish political economy was inward-looking, seeking to constitute political economy as an objective science uniquely suited to the resolution of social divisions. After the Famine, Irish political economy became exceptionally outward-looking, seeking inspiration in the broader field of the social sciences, and adopting an historical and institutionalist approach. We will argue that while the demonstrative power of the Famine itself may have had an influence on this transformation, the social changes wrought in the wake of the Famine were especially significant. The creation of an emerging class of substantial tenants in the wake of the Famine clearances created the social basis for the altered perspectives on Irish political economy. In addition, the problematic character of the Irish agricultural economy and the proposed solutions to this problem form an essential background to developments within political economy.
