Belfast Book Launch of Sins of the Father By Conor McCabe, 7pm, Fresh Claim Cafe, King St

national | arts and media | event notice Monday September 12, 2011 14:26 by Levy Johnson

Venue: Fresh Claim Cafe, 48 King Street, Belfast, 7pm to 10pm

Date: Thursday 15 September 2011

Book launch followed by discussion, food & drink served. All welcome.

"The questions surrounding how the Irish economy was brought to the brink, who was to blame, and who should pay for these mistakes, have been rightly debated at length. But beyond this very legitimate exercise, there are deeper questions that need to be answered.

These questions relate to why we made the decisions we did, not just in the last 10 years, but over the last 80. How did certain industries become prominent at the expense of others, banking as opposed to fisheries, international markets as opposed to indigenous industry and job creation?

Are our problems structural in nature, and most importantly, what do we need to know to make sure that this crisis does not happen again?
These are the questions set by this book. It will look at the development of the Irish economy over the past eight decades, and will argue that the 2008 financial crisis, up to and including the IMF bailout of 2010 and the subsequent change of government, cannot be explained simply by the moral failings of those in banking or property development alone. The problems are deeper, more intricate, and more dangerous if we remain unaware of them, but also potentially avoidable in the future if we break the cycle."

The event is intended not only as an exposé of the abuses of economic power in the South, but to facilitate discussion and an analysis of the present economic reforms in the North, and the role of activists in opposing them.

About the author:

Dr Conor McCabe is a member of the Irish Labour History group, a blogger at www.dublinopinion.com and frequent contributor to various left journals and forums.

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Book launch followed by discussion, food & drink served. All welcome.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sins-Father-Tracing-Decisions-E...86933

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Sins-Fathers-Conor-McCa...86936