Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921: Arguments For and Against

Posted on Mar 9, 2025 in History

Arguments For and Against the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921

The Anglo-Irish Treaty (Irish: An Conradh Angla-Éireannach) was an agreement between the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of Independence. It provided for the establishment of the Irish Free State within a year as a self-governing dominion within the ‘community of nations known as the British Empire,’ a status ‘the same as that of the Dominion of Canada.’ It also provided Northern Ireland, which had been created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, an option to opt out of the Irish Free State, which it exercised.

The agreement was signed in London on 6 December 1921, by representatives of the British government, like David Lloyd George, and by representatives of the Irish Republic, including Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith. The Irish representatives had plenipotentiary status, acting on behalf of the Irish Republic, though the British government declined to recognize that status. As required by its terms, the agreement was approved by ‘a meeting’ of the members elected to sit in the House of Commons of Southern Ireland and, separately, by the British Parliament. Dáil Éireann first debated and then approved the treaty; members then went ahead with the ‘meeting.’ Although the treaty was narrowly approved, the split led to the Irish Civil War, which was won by the pro-treaty side.

The Irish Free State, as contemplated by the treaty, came into existence when its constitution became law on 6 December 1922 by a royal proclamation. The island was divided between Southern and Northern Ireland. The State of Northern Ireland was formed from six counties; however, the border was not very clear.

Anglo-Irish Treaty: Arguments For and Against

Next, a list of them:

Pro-Treaty Arguments

  • It was better than Home Rule: Home Rule was a movement that campaigned for self-government for Ireland within the United Kingdom. It was the dominant political movement of Irish nationalism from 1870 to the end of World War I.
  • Steppingstone to full independence: Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty that ended the Anglo-Irish War, 26 of Ireland’s 32 counties became the Irish Free State, but it still belonged to the dominions of the British Empire.
  • British evacuated the state: Following the establishment of the Irish Free State, three deep-water Treaty Ports at Berehaven, Queenstown (modern Cóbh), and Lough Swilly were retained by the UK in accordance with the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The main reason for the retention of the ports was the U-boat Campaign around Irish coasts during World War I and the concern of the British government that it might recur. As a part of the overall Anglo-Irish settlement, it was envisaged that all other Royal Navy, British Army, and RAF personnel and equipment were to evacuate the Free State. As part of the settlement of the Anglo-Irish Trade War in the 1930s, the ports were transferred to Ireland (the Free State’s successor) in 1938 following agreements reached between the British and Irish Governments.
  • Military victory was unachievable: In the general election of 1922, two parties were dominant, and both of them belonged to Sinn Féin, which was divided into the pro-treaty (Michael Collins was its representative), who accepted the status quo imposed, and the anti-treaty (Éamon de Valera), who wanted total independence. Therefore, there was another civil war a year after the last war. The pro-treaty nationalists won, thus affirming the Irish Free State’s status as a British Dominion.
  • Northern Ireland was unsolvable: Northern Ireland was and is Ulster (six counties): Antrim, Londonderry, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Armagh, and Down. They were unionists and preferred to remain under the dominion of the British Empire in its entirety. Six of the eight counties opted for the division between Northern and Southern Ireland; this was because those two counties were Catholic.
  • Other Dominions gave strength.
  • The public did not want to continue the war.

Anti-Treaty Arguments

  • End of the Irish Republic.
  • The Irish Free State continued inside the British Empire.
  • The Head of State was the King.
  • Dominion status was unclear.
  • The British possessed Treaty Ports.
  • The partition between the Irish Free State (Southern Ireland) and Northern Ireland.
  • It was accepted via a British threat of annihilation.