Democracy in Southern Europe: Colonialism, International Relations and Europeanization from Malta to Cyprus

Description

How have Malta and Cyprus – both EU members – transitioned from colonial island states to independent democracies? With the assistance of primary documentation this book traces the difficult path of these two states to becoming independent liberal democracies by using the pathway of democratization through decolonization. Using socio-economic and political data, analysed through the microscope of political science and international relations theories, Isabelle Calleja Ragonesi charts the progress of the two islands in the context of a number of four distinct phases; firstly decolonization, independence and achieving the status of procedural democracies; secondly post-colonial independence consolidating democracy and regime breakdown; thirdly sovereign nation-state status and second attempts at consolidating democracy and finally attempting to reach substantive democracy status and EU membership. The study of these two states is contextualized within the context of democratization in Southern Europe and the cases of Malta and Cyprus provide new insights on the region for scholars of political science and international institutions. Cover Epigraph Epigraph Title Copyright Contents Preface Chapter 1 Democratization in Southern Europe as shown in the political literature of the.region Introduction A focus on the domestic scene: The functionalist approach Southern Europe: A region apart A model of retarded development Southern Europe returns to the fold: The successful transition The comparative approach and the importance of chronology The influence of the developmental and modernization schools The elitist approach and the role of domestic players – the first phase: The politics of conflict and dis-unified elites Fascist and colonial models of government The elitist school – the second phase: From dis-unified to consensual elites The elitist school – the third phase: Politics conducted by consensually unified elites Pacted transitions and the application of game theory Game theory and the four-player model Variations on the model The model in action The key role of the domestic players and the subsidiary role of the external players The external factor – phase one: The macro climate and the functionalist approach The external factor – phase two: The micro climate and the elitist approach A politics of consensus under the influence of consensually unified elites The inclusion of external factors in models of democratization Phase three: Integrating domestic and external variables From bilateral to the multilateral, from the national to the supranational The twenty-first century and the concept of the reverse wave Conclusion Chapter 2 Democratization in Southern Europe – an external model of transition: Colonial versus authoritarian trends Introduction The absence of external players in democratization models The global order and different regime types: Similarities of the colonial and authoritarian models The premodern phase: The discourse of fragmented nationalism and the dominance of dis-unified elites Hijacking the fragmented nation state The forces of the right – a home-grown authoritarian model The forces of the right – an imported colonial model The problem of smallness and island micro states Democratization: Consolidating sovereignty and the nation-state model Spain and Portugal – the ancient regime: Weak states, delayed democratization The five-player model: Greece and Italy – new nations: Defeated states, failed democratizations The five-player model: Malta and Cyprus – colonized states: Limited sovereignty: Failed democratizations The four-and-a-half-player model: The modern phase A colonial model – the case of Malta The authoritarian model – Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy The international climate The postmodern phase: Nation to federation – independence to integration The post-authoritarian model The postcolonial model The post-truth phase: Supranational versus the intergovernmental Conclusion Chapter 3 Malta and Cyprus: The case of guided democracies – democratic transition from colonial rule Introduction History: Points of commonality History: Points of divergence The transition begins: The functionalist approach – government prior to British rule Constitutional developments The emergence of a party system The transitions begin: The elitist approach – the extremes emerge Economics and the emergence of unions Transition and public opinion External players enter in full force The independence constitutions Negotiating the constitutions Lack of consensus – Cyprus Lack of consensus – Malta Seeking the support of other external players: The UN The politics of collusion The impact of the Cold War Democratic transition or attempts at continued hegemony? The extremes threaten the transition Completed transitions in a climate of uncertainty and unpreparedness Conclusion Chapter 4 Newly independent states – Cyprus and Malta: Consolidating democracy and its subsequent breakdown Introduction Background The collapse of democratic government Phase one: Working and living with the constitution Real versus apparent independence A superior or inferior and more or less equitable constitution Majority as averse to minority support for the constitution Preliminary attempts at settlement The case of Cyprus The case of Malta The role of external players Phase two: Attempts at constitutional revision The case of Malta The case of Cyprus The role of external players Phase three: Failure to compromise, coercive action and the counter state The case of Malta The case of Cyprus The role of external players Conclusion Chapter 5 Malta and Cyprus: Consolidating the nation state – negotiating a compromise: The second transition Introduction Different points of departure Cyprus in 1964 and Malta in 1981: The extent of regime breakdown Enter external actors Background to mediation The talks begin The changing environment The breakdown of talks Rising violence Last-ditch attempts to save the talks Conclusion Chapter 6 Consolidating democracy under a federal model: Malta, Cyprus and the EU Introduction History of EU relations Changing conditions The long haul The suitability of Malta and Cyprus for EU membership Divergent views on membership Impact on the party systems Successfully co-opting the opposition Preparing for accession and adopting the Acquis Structured dialogue and the transformation of the state Commission feedback Accommodating the opposition Membership and the state transformed A decade post accession: Democratization progression or regression? Conclusion Conclusion: From Democratic Consolidation to Europeanization Assessing the model The model’s trajectory: From dependency to Europeanization Whither the model? The way forward Notes Bibliography Index