Tuesday, June 29, 2010

In Ireland, Hard Times Again

The first economic boom in modern Irish history has crashed into dust, leaving the country full of bankrupt banks and half-built housing projects. Article and slide show at the NY Times.

I guess the good news is that since prosperity is so new to Ireland, dating back only to the 90s, most people are used to hard times and know how to cope. The bad news is that the Irish are falling back on the expedients of their ancestors and thousands are moving abroad; since the birth rate in Ireland has fallen to below the replacement rate, that means the tiny nation will shrink even further.

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