Journal of European Integration History – Revue d'histoire de l'

The Diplomacy of ‘dignified calm’ 85the society to self-analysis, to self-criticism and to seeing the state of the nation in acomparative European and wider international context. 18The new economic strategy was to increase Irish agricultural production andlook for outlets in the higher priced continental food market. The plan was also toattract foreign capital for investment in employment-intensive manufacturingexport industries. 19 The shift towards swift trade liberalisation was not that easilyachieved against what Whitaker described on 27 November 1959 as “the diehardIndustry and Commerce contention that joining EFTA (and presumably any otherfree trade area) would be of no economic benefit to this country (...).” 20 Lemasscame to share Whitaker's desire to move away from what the latter had termed“unprogressive isolation”. 21 Whitaker had developed his ideas on the matter on 14December 1959 in a memorandum entitled “Reasons for Reducing Protection”. 22This internal debate was taking place in the context of the wider discussion aboutpossible Irish membership of the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) which theBritish strongly encouraged. 23 The secretary of the Department of Industry andCommerce, J.C.B. MacCarthy, was less than impressed with Whitaker's line ofargument, and he told him on 22 December:“I feel, however, that I ought to say at this stage in relation to your memorandumon the desirability of reducing protection that I cannot accept the views set out init other than as a, if you will not mind my putting it that way, somewhat idealisticapproach which is not, as I am sure you will agree, backed by anything morethan faith in the operation of the economic laws which are expounded.” 24Whitaker did very much mind, and he wrote on 23 December to MacCarthy:“Before we enter the season of goodwill I feel I should make a short comment onyour letter of 22nd December, which rather unfairly tries to force me into accepting,as applying to our memorandum “Reasons for Reducing Protection”, either of twodenigratory epithets, “provocative” or “doctrinaire”. I hope that on reconsiderationyou will treat this reasoned document not as putting forward an “idealistic” approachbut – for reasons given in it and elaborated in the letter I sent Cremin yesterday – ascontaining, in my view, the essence of realism. (...) We both of us know people whoare more Catholic than the Pope; should Industry and Commerce not guard againstbeing more protectionist than the Federation of Irish Industries?” 2518. See R. J. SAVAGE, Irish Television – The Political and Social Origins, Cork 1996. For a generaldiscussion on Irish society in the 1960s, see D. KEOGH, Twentieth Century Ireland, pp. 243-294.19. R. BREEN et al., Understanding Contemporary Ireland – State, Class and Development in the Republicof Ireland, Dublin 1990, p. 38.20. Whitaker to Charlie Murray [Department of the Taoiseach], 27 November 1959 [The personal filefrom which this minute has been taken was kindly loaned to me by Dr Ken Whitaker] (quoted henceforth,Whitaker file).21. Whitaker to Maurice Moynihan, Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach, 27 November 1959(Whitaker file); The phrase was coined by Whitaker.22. See Whitaker file.23. See minute by Secretary of the Department of External Affairs, Con C. Cremin, 27 October 1959,of meeting between Lemass and the secretaries of Finance and External Affairs, and the deputy secretariesof Industry and Commerce and Agriculture.24. MacCarthy to Whitaker, 22 December 1959 (Whitaker file).25. Whitaker to MacCarthy, 23 December 1959 (Whitaker file).