Development theory and the Celtic Tiger

The economic boom in Ireland between 1994 and 2000, known as the 'Celtic Tiger', has been widely interpreted as a period of economic and social development and as offering lessons for developmental success under the conditions of globalisation. This study critically examines these claims in the light of development theory. It first examines the validity of applying development theory to the Irish case through outlining Ireland's development trajectory. It then surveys the principal interpretative frameworks used in the social science literature to understand Ireland's development, particularly over the Celtic Tiger period. The next section draws on development theory to examine the nature and sustainability of the economic and social changes associated with the Celtic Tiger, and to identify key structural features of the Irish development model over this period. The study concludes that the Celtic Tiger boom has camouflaged rather than resolved Ireland's development problems and that it stands as a cautionary tale of the social costs of economic success under the conditions of real existing globalisation. © 2004 Taylor and Francis Ltd.