The British State and the Northern Ireland Crisis, 1969-73: From Violence to Power-Sharing. Este artículo no está disponible.The British State and the Northern Ireland Crisis, 1969-73: From Violence to Power-Sharing

Focusing on four case studies, author William Beattie Smith traces the evolution of British policy from 1969-73 and depicts how easily a conflict over national identity can turn into bloodshed, grief, and horror; and how difficult it is once a serious fight has started to restore peace. In each of the case studies, Smith highlights a discrete policy followed by the British government in tackling political disorder in Northern Ireland, and examines why the policy was chosen or pursued. He outlines three broad strategic options-reform, coercion, and powersharing-and identifies factors influencing which of the three will be selected in practice. Focusing on policy outcomes rather than the details of the negotiating process, the author evaluates the relative importance of rational calculation, patterns of understanding, party politics, diplomatic pressures, organizational structure, and official doctrine in shaping policies and initiating radical changes. While rooted in policy analysis, the book ventures into the territory of political history and conflict studies. The author addresses issues such as the legitimacy of state authority, the vulnerability of democratic institutions to the opposition of disaffected minorities, and the tensions that exist between public order and individual rights. His conclusion derives strategic lessons from the British experience in Northern Ireland and provides guidance for policymakers confronting challenges arising from comparable cases.

William Beattie Smith has extensive practical and academic experience as an author, policy analyst, and professional in government. Based in Belfast, Smith graduated in American Studies from the University of Sussex and earned his doctorate in Political Science from Stanford University. He was a Public Policy Fellow at the Institute for Contemporary Studies in the 1980s. Back in Belfast, he joined the Government of Northern Ireland as an Administration Trainee. Smith spent three years on secondment to the European Commission in Brussels. Following the Belfast Agreement of 1998, Smith served as Principal Private Secretary in the First Ministers' Office. Since standing down from Government in 2004, he has held a number of public appointments and worked with a range of clients including Executive Ministers, public sector agencies, research institutes, and voluntary organizations.