In 1932, the Irish Free State, under Eamon de Valera, began an economic war with Britain over the payment of land annuities, which were owed to the British government under the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The economic war, which involved tariffs and trade restrictions, lasted until 1938, when it was resolved by the Anglo-Irish Agreement. The economic war was a significant episode in the history of Irish-British relations, demonstrating the new state's willingness to stand up to its former colonial power.

The Economic War is a subject of political poetry, with writers debating the merits of de Valera's policy. The economic conflict is often contrasted with the earlier struggles for independence, creating a sense of continuity. The poetry of the period reflects the tensions of the economic war, a theme that would persist in the literature of the 1930s.