The Irish troubles: a generation of violence, 1967–1992. By J. Bowyer Bell. Pp xvii, 872, illus. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. 1993. IR£24.99.
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Ireland, and that this explains the movement's lack of political success. Scrutinising their contention of the fundamental link between political and economic independence, the author felt compelled to consider the analysis of their non-socialist counterparts in Fianna Fail, coming to the conclusion that their more widely accepted interpretation can clarify Fianna Fail's success in this period. This is an extremely well-researched work, using a wide range of organisational and private papers. However, the available sources have also limited the author. Concentrating on the wealth of information regarding Peadar O'Donnell and his thinking, this work is in large parts a biography and a political analysis of O'Donnell, who is mentioned on every other page and in many footnotes on other pages. This close identification between socialist republicans and O'Donnell creates a problem when categorising O'Donnell as a socialist. English has had to adapt his definition of socialism to accommodate the fact that O'Donnell saw himself as representing small farmers and was in favour of private ownership of land. O'Donnell also tended to stress his republicanism over his socialism. The author's portrayal of this kind of deviation from orthodox socialism as solely a tactical matter is not entirely convincing. Furthermore, his stated aspiration to clarify Fianna Fail's success through the republican left's failure leads to a tendency to explain the thinking and actions of both sides within this dichotomy. But Fianna Fail's success cannot be explained by the internal weakness of socialist republican analysis. The reason must be sought in the much more attractive proposition of Fianna Fail itself, and in the lack of support in Ireland for fundamental social changes.