Philanthropy and improvement: Social reform movements in Ireland, 1691–1798

This dissertation examines Protestant led reform movements and voluntary societies that gained prominence in Ireland in the course of the eighteenth century. It is connected with several different aspects of eighteenth-century Irish and European history including cultural, religious, economic, and political. In this period of relative political stability Irish Protestants became increasingly aware of the threat that social problems, such as poverty, posed to their rule. One response to this newly recognized threat was a wave of reform movements and voluntary societies each of which sought to address some aspect of the social problems plaguing Ireland. These improvement movements differed from earlier charity in organization, method, and aims. This dissertation demonstrates that each of these societies had both a common form, a common language, and common goals. Each saw themselves as serving the interests and aspirations of the nation. By examining a variety of different reform movements this dissertation demonstrates the connection between religiously motivated charities and Enlightenment inspired scientific societies. In Ireland these various organization shared the common goal of improvement. Improvement is best understood as a concept that encompassed the physical, economic, social, moral and religious aspects of Irish society that were perceived as needing reform. The activities of improvers reflect an Enlightenment era optimism about the perfectibility of society. Improvers believed that by addressing the roots of social problems they could eradicate them