The spontaneous behaviour of people is often more intelligent than the thoughts or actions of leaders or social planners, writes John Waters
By seeking the best way forward for themselves, individuals contribute to the creation of market phenomena which change society more effectively than any political policy or social vision.
For decades there has been the appearance of a profound pathology in the development of our capital city, both in terms of its own best interests and its relationship with the rest of the country. Spatial restrictions, exorbitant housing costs, poor public transport, excessive centralisation, unresponsive workplace culture and daily gridlock have made Dublin an increasingly insane place in which to live and work. Meanwhile, beyond the Pale, even the comparatively paradisiacal quality of life has proved inadequate to matching the pull of the capital. Out there is an abundance of space, fresh air, open roads and underpopulated streets and roads, but, again, poor planning, inadequate public transport, lopsided approaches to development and prejudiced attitudes to house-building have ensured that the possibility of the two Irelands moving towards solving one another's problems has remained a frustratingly elusive idea.
Political leaders have pontificated and harangued one another, but in office have done little to relieve the absurdities of a small country riven into two equally irrational parts.
But lately something has started to give, and the instinct of the embattled individual pursuing solutions in the market has created a new set of possibilities for the relationship between country and capital. Last week, research published by IFG Mortgages suggested a revolution is under way, indeed probably more than one. It indicated, first of all, a dramatic increase in the number of single people, especially women, taking on mortgages.
The figure for single applications is now, for the first time, almost level with joint applications, having increased by 12 percentage points on last year. Applications by single women increased from 38 per cent to 45 per cent of all single applications. This will undoubtedly have implications for the marriage rate, probably exacerbating the trend towards delayed marriage. That's one revolution.
But perhaps more interesting is that, because Dublin house prices are still keeping most first-time buyers out of the market, this revolution is chiefly taking place outside the capital. It is clearly the beginning of a new trend, perhaps of several interrelated new trends.
It is now possible to build a large house in most parts of Ireland for a fraction of the cost of even a tiny one in Dublin. Meanwhile, EU-funded development has ensured that major roads in most parts of the country are now infinitely better than a decade ago. Up to a point, the country is much smaller than it used to be. The abysmal quality of public transport persists, but the private car is now much more efficient at reducing the implications of distance, at least until you reach the outskirts of Dublin.
There is still this antediluvian attitude to what might be called the self-importance of the capital. The negative media response to recent tokenistic efforts by the Government on decentralisation is symptomatic of a profound doltishness disguised as sophistication. Meanwhile, work practices and working hours remain as insane as ever. Our children's children may look back in disbelief at the idea that, as certain times of the day, and all at the same time, their ancestors would desist from pushing pieces of paper around their desks, pile into mechanically propelled vehicles and set off on journeys back to where they had travelled from a few hours before. Twenty years ago, flexitime was hailed as the new revolution. It hasn't happened.
Fifteen years ago, we were told that the computer would reduce the necessity for centralised offices. It hasn't happened. Mainly these changes have not taken hold because of a lack of incentive or coercion: there is insufficient benefit for employers in making life easier for workers. Necessity may change this.
Despite the deficit of political vision, people are arriving at their individual solutions. It is now possible to build a large house in the midlands and buy a small apartment in Dublin for less than the cost of a family-sized home in a decent part of Dublin. It is only a matter of time before this logic takes effect. The absurdistan of public policy is pushing us towards a new form of society in which the capital will become simply a place of business. The drones of the economy will live in the country and commute on perhaps two or three days a week to their pieds-a-terre along the quays. The traffic will get worse and public transport will not improve, but people will see these as discountable costs in an arrangement which will provide their families with a quality of life that hitherto remained out of reach. The chief loser will be Dublin, but since she will have already lost her soul, the only grief will be felt by nostalgics who remember her in the rare oul' times.