ΤΟ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟ ΕΜΠΟΡΙΟ ΚΑΙ Η ΙΡΛΑΝΔΙΚΗ ΕΘΝΙΚΗ ΑΦΥΠΝΙΣΗ ΜΕΣΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗ ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΚΗ ΜΑΤΙΑ ΤΟΥ WILLIAM DRENNAN

Abstract

The present study concerns William Drennan’s pamphlet A Letter to Edmund Burke, Esq: By Birth an Irishman, by Adoption an Englishman. Containing Some Reflections on Patriotism, Party-Spirit, and the Union of Free Nations. With Observations upon the Means on which Ireland Relies for Obtaining Political Independence. The text examines Drennan’s contribution to the Irish national awakening in the 18th century, focusing on the demand for free trade as a fundamental element of sociopolitical reform. It aims to outline the conditions under which these ideas emerged, analyzing Ireland’s historical and social context under British rule, with particular emphasis on economic inequalities, restrictive commercial laws and the rise of the middle class. Influenced by Enlightenment principles, Drennan associates free trade with constitutional liberty, advocating this demand as a means of progress and social justice within the existing imperial structures.