unionism, loyalism and change

Trinity College Dublin

Unionism, Loyalism and Change

Reconciliation in Northern Ireland


Learning outcomes• Be able to apply some of our theoretical

frameworks (identity, community, ideology)• Understand differences between and changes

in unionism and loyalism• Analyse the relationship between changes in

unionism/loyalism and the peace process


Key Texts• Jon Tonge, 2002. Northern Ireland: Conflict

and Change, chapter 4 • Christopher Farrington, 2006. Ulster Unionism

and the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, chapter 5

There are a number of other readings on your syllabus that are worth checking out. Also explore the websites of the unionist/loyalist political parties.


Review

Identity Community Ideology

Individual and collective self-understanding, where we ‘fit’ in society

Feeling of belonging to a certain social group

A system of concepts about self and others

Who I am Who we are Why we are this way


Unionism and Loyalism

Whilst unionist and loyalist identity, community and ideology may appear monolithic from the outside, this is not the case. Indeed, the distinction between ‘unionism’ and ‘loyalism’ itself implies at least some sort of diversity.


Tonge (2002)“Unionism has been an ideology constructed

upon resistance, whereas nationalism has been an ‘active ideological force’ (Aughey, 1994: 54). This is because Ulster unionism is an ideology upon the defence of the status quo.” (52)


Todd (1987) ‘Two Traditions in Unionist Political Culture’

• This article is considered a ‘classic’ and was recently reprinted in The Irish Political Studies Reader (2008).

• A pioneering analysis of the ‘ideological structure’ of unionism: ‘the interrelated and often unspoken cultural assumptions and beliefs which are reproduced not primarily by state action or elite manipulation but by typical modes of experience and practice in the society ..’


Ulster Loyalist Tradition• Primary imagined community is northern

Protestants• Secondary identification with Britain based on

‘conditional loyalty’• Views political life as a struggle between good

and evil• Dominatory rituals, such as marches


Ulster Loyalist


Ulster Loyalist Tradition• Draws on evangelical fundamentalist religious

tradition• Core assumption: ‘the only alternative to

Ulster loyalist dominance is Ulster loyalist defeat and humiliation’

• Constituencies?: Orange Order, DUP, secular working class loyalism


Ulster British Tradition• Imagined community is Greater Britain• Secondary regional identification with Northern Ireland• Religious values not primary• Moral principles important in defining their community• Either integrationist or devolutionist• Shares some principles with liberalism, which are continually

challenged by NI context


Ulster British

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Terenceoneill.jpg

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DiscussionWhat do you make of Todd’s distinction between

two traditions?

Do you think the analysis is still valid today?


Tonge (2002): Draws on Porter’s (1996) Three Types

• Cultural Unionism: Exaggerated sense of Protestant Britishness (Paisleyism)

• Liberal Unionism: Rational, contractarian case for the Union, condemns sectarianism. Assumes majority consent and UK is liberal and enlightened

• Civic Unionism: Reconcile defence of Union with embrace of rival claims of nationalism (see Aughey)


Farrington (2001)• ‘Ulster Unionist Political Divisions in the late

20th Century,’ Irish Political Studies, v16, pp. 49-71

• Farrington focuses on the ‘religious-secular spectrum’ and differences in tactics (dogmatism vs. pragmatism)


Divisions• Dogmatic and Secular: McCartney, anti-GFA

UUP• Pragmatic and Secular: PUP, business

community, pro-GFA UUP• Dogmatic and Religious: DUP, Orange Order

(some)• Pragmatic Religious: some Protestant

churches, i.e. Eames


Unionism and Change

• Development of ‘Trimble Unionism’

• Richard English (2002) ‘The growth of new unionism,’ in Coakley, Changing Shades of Orange and Green

http://www.davidtrimble.org/photographs_dtwithlordrogan.htm


Trimble Unionism• influence of ‘civic unionism,’ Aughey• sense that terms for a deal for unionists were

worsening• sense of possible British abandonment• recognizes changes in the Republic of Ireland• recognizes changes in republicanism


Analysis of unionist ideology, post-1985 (pages 100-102):

• fluidity of ideology (especially in matters of links between religion and politics)

• complexity of the unionist community• attempted rehabilitation of the idea of unionism as a rational,

defensible ideology (Aughey, Porter important names here)• new attention on East-West dimensions• vulnerability, insecurity, lack of confidence


Focus QuestionsIn light of class today, reflect on the components

that make up unionist and loyalist identities. To what extent does your own personal identity include (or not!) any of those components? Does your identity impact on your ability to interact with people with unionist/loyalist identities within your organisation or the community?


Analysing Change: Unionism and the peace process

• Farrington (2006)• Support for the GFA has declined• DUP has replaced the UUP as the largest party • Smaller unionist/loyalist parties have been

swallowed up• Why?



• Unionists are dissatisfied and have turned away from the ‘moderates’ ?

• Farrington says this is too simple. The change can be attributed to several aspects of the politics of the peace process



• Peace process introduced a specific issue into unionist party competition (yes or no)

• The party system has become more competitive (PR voting, more elections)

• This change has caused parties (esp DUP) to rethink strategies, i.e. no more electoral pacts



• Political divisions in UUP maintained so as to prevent party fragmentation (but make unified policy difficult to achieve)

• ‘The leadership of the DUP … began a slow, and seemingly deliberate, campaign to move the party into softer anti-Agreement territory but simultaneously maintaining their credibility among their traditional supporters’ (Farrington, 176).


http://www.dup2win.com/DownloadImages/StreetsAheadP800X600.jpg



• DUP parallels with the UUP:– sense that terms for a deal for unionists were

worsening– sense of possible British abandonment

(treachery!) – recognizes changes in the Republic of Ireland– recognizes changes in republicanism


Ganiel (2007)• Five dominant discursive themes the DUP

used to discredit the peace process:– delegitimization of David Trimble and the UUP– the immorality of the peace process and the

agreement– the security threat– the victimization of Protestants– demand to re-negotiate the agreement


DUP’s practical responses to new political structures

• participation in the Assembly• participation in the Assembly executive (took seats in the

executive but refused to sit in cabinet with Sinn Fein or participate in meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council) … a ‘Jesuitical distinction’

• used ministerial and committee post salaries for a party election fund

• rotated ministers in the executive• acceptance of power-sharing (although they make a

distinction between power-sharing with nationalists and ‘terrorists in government’)


Finally: sharing power with Sinn Fein


Challenges to the DUP

• ‘Concerned Free Presbyterians’

• Jim Allister & the TUV

• Robinson: convincing unionists of benefits of devolution


Questions Remain• Have there been significant ideological

changes within unionism/loyalism?• What factors external to unionism/loyalism

have been most significant in provoking change?

• Is the DUP sharing power with SF simply strategic?

• How will the DUP handle the TUV challenge?

unionism, loyalism and change

Documents

trinity college dublintonge

trinity college dublintodd

ulster unionism

loyalist identity

types cultural unionism

ulster loyalist defeat

ulster loyalist dominance

irish political studies