The Organic Crisis of Neoliberalism:
The Case of Northern Ireland and Scotland

This study strives to understand the currently undergoing neoliberal hegemonic struggle in British politics, through the perspectives of Northern Ireland and Scotland, and to what extent this struggle proposes a threat for the current structure of the United Kingdom.

It concludes through analysing the hegemonic struggle in the UK, and by using Fairclough’s theories of CDA and CPA, that in both cases there are a number of circumstances that differentiates them. The study concludes that Irish reunification would be more feasible, as they would join an already established, well-functioning country.

However, due to the clash between the implementation of austerity by Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland and the anti-austerity politics, which have made Sinn Fein popular in southern Ireland, the party has been forced to refocus their electoral strategy in order to deflect attention from critique. Thus, the party’s political strategy, especially in the North, is now focussed mainly on Irish reunification in regard to an anti-Brexit and proEU agenda.

The study concludes that the situation in Scotland regarding secession is a
different matter, as a go-ahead by the British government on a second Scottish independence referendum is not likely to see the light of day. The question of Scottish independence is furthermore normative and is not based on any material argument, such as the case with Northern Ireland.

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