Radical Liberals

Radical Liberals Liobrálaithe Radacachah
Founded	1906
Dissolved	1934
Split from	Caldish Democrats
Succeeded by	Liberty Party (Indirect)
Ideology	Liberalism
Politics of Caldia Political parties

The Radical Liberals (Ghaillish: Liobrálaithe Radacachah) was a political party in Caldia from 1906 to 1934. It was established following a split from the Caldish Democrats. The party supported liberalism and isolationism. It was outlawed in 1934 during the Occupation of Caldia for its association with anti-occupation insurgent groups.

Origins

The party was established in 1906 by a splinter group of isolationist politicians. The group was expelled from the liberal Caldish Democrats at the behest of Taoiseach Conán Ó Faoláin in February 1906. The politcians were opposed to the pro-Estmerish foreign policy entertained by Ó Faoláin, a departure from Caldia's more traditional neutrality. The expelled parliamentarians held a conference in Clyte on 18 March 1906 and established the new party to support their re-election efforts in forced by-elections. Many of the expelled members held onto their seats. Pressure mounted on Ó Faoláin to resign as leader of the Caldish Democrats and taoiseach. However, in April 1906 he died while in office.

In addition to isolationist policies, the Radical Liberals wanted to reduce social inequality. Some factions of the party were open to the notion of a welfare state, but this issue divided the party. The party is associated with historical radicalism.

History

In the aftermath of the Great Collapse, the Radical Liberals supported efforts of Saorla Ní Chonaill and her liberal government to implement social and economic reforms. After striking agricultural workers were sold by soldiers in County Folcthagh, the party abandoned Ní Chonaill. Any further cooperation with Ní Chonaill or the Caldish Democrats were initially disavowed, though some members of the party remained open to cooperation in the future.

The party cooperated with the newly formed Social Democratic Party and the Farmer's Party. All three parties hoped to dislodge the Caldish Democrats and pursued an electoral alliance, declining to field candidates against one another in the 1917 general election. Their alliance was successful, but struggled to overtake the Democrats under Caldia's old first-past-the-post system. The alliance fell apart at the 1919 snap election, which was won by the Democrats.

Prior to the Great War, the party advocated for strict neutrality. It was opposed to any efforts that would involve Caldia in a potential conflict between the great powers. Éamon Ua Buachalla and his government, first formed in 1925, was frequently criticized by the Radical Liberals. Pressure from the party helped lead Ua Buachalla to reaffirm the Caldia's neutrality after the war began. However, this approach resulted in the Occupation of Caldia by Estmerish and Weranian forces. Ua Bauchalla ordered no resistance to the invasion, a move that the Radical Liberals took issue with. The party sponsored as series of demonstrations in protest of the occupation. After public gatherings were banned nationally in November 1928, an illegal rally sponsored by the party was held outside Carrowdun Palace. It was supressed by police and the military, resuting in nine deaths. A resistance movement soon began which was unofficially supported by the Radical Liberals.

During the Quasi-War, many of the party's members were affiliated with Saor Glaíteann, an anti-occupation insurgent group. Marshal law was declared in 1932 after the suspension of that year's general election, giving the Caldish army and Estmerish and Weranian occupying forces additional authority. The party banned in 1934 due to its ties to Soar Saor Glaíteann.

Legacy

After the party was outlawed, many of its members were arrested or went into hiding. Some were put on trial, but there were no convictions. The most famous trial was of Eleanore Rosaiteir, the party's last leader.

At the end of the occupation, Soirmoor Agreement dictated the terms of withdrawal. The Caldish government agreed to place a ban on the main political agitators and rebels from holding elected office. Estmere and Werania had hoped to ensure that a friendly government would form after the suspended 1932 general election was held.

The postponed 1932 election was held in 1935 and went uncontested by Rosaiteir, who called on her supporters to boycott the election. The Social Democrats won the election and Tomás Mag Fhearadhaigh became taoiseach. His government ended the ban Rosaiteir and many other Radical Liberals faced on holding office. In addition, the Mag Fhearadhaigh Government ended initiatives to capture and prosecute resistance fighters for their role in the Quasi-War. These reforms allowed Rosaiteir to reemerge as a major force in Ghaillish politics.

The Liberty Party was established in 1936 as an indirect successor to the Radical Liberals. The new party also absorbed the National Conservative Party. Liberal and conservative groups were concerned about the potential political dominance of the Social Democrats, who won a landslide victory in the 1935 election. They rallied around Rosaiteir due to her popularity and anti-occupation credentials.

The Liberty Party has since elected nine taoiseachs and has become one of Caldia's two dominant political parties. Some of its factions have been strongly influenced by the Radical Liberals.