The Imperialistic Foundations of British Colonial Rule in Cyprus
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Published
Feb 1, 2019
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Abstract
Historiography tends to examine Cyprus history through the light of the Cyprus Problem, thereby ignoring the role of British colonial power, which is examined in this paper. Imperialistic control was exercised through political sovereignty, economic penetration and military control of strategic outposts in an effort to secure critical points of passage for British trade or for military expeditions and it was accompanied by a wider programme of development that raised the colony’s standard of living. Only as late as the beginning of the 1950s did Britain make efforts to promote colonial prosperity and the neglected Cyprus, the so called Cinderella, was condemned to backwardness. Uncommonly the technological base of improvements was dictated by the compulsions of British imperial interests as well as the development of the Cold War, not the promotion of the welfare of the people.
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Keywords
Greek Cypriots, British colonial rule, colonialism, imperialism, nationalism
References
The National Archives London: CAB 21/2889, FO 371/112863
Secretariat archive (SA1) State Archives Nicosia SA1/2183/1950
Diplomatic and Historical Archives (Y.D.I.A.) of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1948: File 1, 1949: Files 11, 95, 120, 1950: File 50, 1952: Files 30, 32, 82, 106, 1953: File 104, 1954: Files 45, 57, 76, 85, 1957: Files 29 and 42
Greek Cypriot newspapers and periodicals Δημοκράτης, Έθνος, Ελευθερία, Ελληνική Κύπρος, Νέος Δημοκράτης, Φιλελεύθερος , The Cypriot
Anagnostopoulou, S. (1998) Μικρά Ασία, 19ος αι. -1919. Οι ελληνορθόδοξες Κοινότητες. Από το Μιλλέτ των Ρωμιών στο Ελληνικό Έθνος. Athens: Ελληνικά Γράμματα.
Argyriou, S. (2017) Το εθνικό κίνημα των Ελληνοκυπρίων κατά την τελευταία περίοδο της Αγγλοκρατίας, 1950-1960. Athens: Asini.
Cain, P. J. and Hopkins, A. G. (1993) British Imperialism: Innovation and expansion 1688-1914. London: Longman.
Cohen, B.J. (1973) The question of Imperialism. The Political Economy of Dominance and Dependence. New York: Basic Books.
Defty, A. (2004) Britain, America and anti – communist propaganda 1945-1953: the Information Research Department. London: Routledge.
Dumett, R. (1999) ‘Exploring the Cain/Hopkins paradigm: issues for debate; critique and topics for new research’. In Dumett R. (ed.), Gentlemanly Capitalism and British Imperialism. The new debate on Empire, London: Longman.
Durrell, L.(1959) Bitter Lemons [in Greek]. Athens: Grigoris.
Frank, A.G. (1970) ‘The development of Underdevelopment’. In Rhodes R.I. (ed.), Imperialism and Underdevelopment: a reader. New York: Monthly Review.
Georghallides, G.S. (1979) A Political and Administrative History of Cyprus 1918-1926 with a survey of the foundations of British rule. Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre.
Georgallides, G. S. (1991) ‘Ο ιστορικός Arnold J. Toynbee και η Κύπρος’, Epiteris, ΧVIII, Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre.
Haggard, R. (1994) Travels to Cyprus in 1900 [in Greek]. Athens: Eirmos.
Hatzivassiliou, E. (2005) Στρατηγικές του Κυπριακού: Η δεκαετία του 1950, Athens: Pataki.
Hobsbawm, E.J. (2007) Η εποχή των Αυτοκρατοριών 1875-1914. Athens: Morfotiko Foundation, Ethniki Bank.
Hyam, R. (1996) ‘Churchill and the British Empire’. In Blake, R. and Roger Louis, W. (ed.), Churchill. Oxford: Clarendon Press
Hyam, R. (2010) Understanding the British Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Ierodiakonou, L. (1970) Το Κυπριακό Πρόβλημα. (Πορεία προς την χρεωκοπία). Athens: Papazisis.
Karyos, A. (2014) ‘Britain and Cyprus, 1955-1959: Key Themes on the Counter-Insurgency Aspects of the Cyprus Revolt’ in M. Kontos, S. Theodoulou, N. Panayiotides and H. Alexandrou (eds.), Great Power Politics in Cyprus: Foreign Interventions and Domestic Perceptions. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Katsiaounis, R. (1996) Labour, Society and Politics in Cyprus during the second half of the nineteenth century. Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre.
Katsiaounis, R. (2008) Η Διασκεπτική 1946-1948 με ανασκόπηση της περιόδου 1878-1945. Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre.
Kent, J. (1993) British Imperial Strategy and the origins of the Cold War 1944-1949. Leicester: Leicester University Press.
Loomba, A. (1998) Colonialism, Post colonialism. London: Routledge.
Madden, F. and Darwin, J. (eds) (1994) The dependent empire, 1900-1948: colonies, protectorates, and mandates. Westport, CT.: Greenwood Press .
Mommsen, W. (1986) ‘The end of Empire and the Continuity of Imperialism’, in Mommsen, W. and Osterhammel, J. (eds), Imperialism and after. Continuities and Discontinuities, London: Allen & Unwin.
Orr, C.W.J. (1972) Cyprus under British Rule. London: Zeno.
Persianis, P.K. (1978) Church and State in Cyprus Education. The Contribution of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus to Cyprus Education during the British Administration (1878-1960). Nicosia.
Protopapas, V. (2012) Η εκλογική ιστορία της Κύπρου. Πολιτευτές, Κόμματα και εκλογές στην Αγγλοκρατία 1878-1960. Athens: Themelio.
Richter, H.A. (2007) History of Cyprus, Vol. A: 1878-1949 [in Greek]. Athens: Estia.
Smith, T. (1981)The pattern of imperialism. The United States, Great Britain and the late industrializing world since 1815. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press .
Storrs, R. (1943) Orientations. London: Nicholson and Watson.
Varnava, A. (2009) British Imperialism in Cyprus, 1878-1915. The inconsequential possession. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Young, R.J.C. (2001) Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction. UK: Blackwell Publishers.
Secretariat archive (SA1) State Archives Nicosia SA1/2183/1950
Diplomatic and Historical Archives (Y.D.I.A.) of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1948: File 1, 1949: Files 11, 95, 120, 1950: File 50, 1952: Files 30, 32, 82, 106, 1953: File 104, 1954: Files 45, 57, 76, 85, 1957: Files 29 and 42
Greek Cypriot newspapers and periodicals Δημοκράτης, Έθνος, Ελευθερία, Ελληνική Κύπρος, Νέος Δημοκράτης, Φιλελεύθερος , The Cypriot
Anagnostopoulou, S. (1998) Μικρά Ασία, 19ος αι. -1919. Οι ελληνορθόδοξες Κοινότητες. Από το Μιλλέτ των Ρωμιών στο Ελληνικό Έθνος. Athens: Ελληνικά Γράμματα.
Argyriou, S. (2017) Το εθνικό κίνημα των Ελληνοκυπρίων κατά την τελευταία περίοδο της Αγγλοκρατίας, 1950-1960. Athens: Asini.
Cain, P. J. and Hopkins, A. G. (1993) British Imperialism: Innovation and expansion 1688-1914. London: Longman.
Cohen, B.J. (1973) The question of Imperialism. The Political Economy of Dominance and Dependence. New York: Basic Books.
Defty, A. (2004) Britain, America and anti – communist propaganda 1945-1953: the Information Research Department. London: Routledge.
Dumett, R. (1999) ‘Exploring the Cain/Hopkins paradigm: issues for debate; critique and topics for new research’. In Dumett R. (ed.), Gentlemanly Capitalism and British Imperialism. The new debate on Empire, London: Longman.
Durrell, L.(1959) Bitter Lemons [in Greek]. Athens: Grigoris.
Frank, A.G. (1970) ‘The development of Underdevelopment’. In Rhodes R.I. (ed.), Imperialism and Underdevelopment: a reader. New York: Monthly Review.
Georghallides, G.S. (1979) A Political and Administrative History of Cyprus 1918-1926 with a survey of the foundations of British rule. Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre.
Georgallides, G. S. (1991) ‘Ο ιστορικός Arnold J. Toynbee και η Κύπρος’, Epiteris, ΧVIII, Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre.
Haggard, R. (1994) Travels to Cyprus in 1900 [in Greek]. Athens: Eirmos.
Hatzivassiliou, E. (2005) Στρατηγικές του Κυπριακού: Η δεκαετία του 1950, Athens: Pataki.
Hobsbawm, E.J. (2007) Η εποχή των Αυτοκρατοριών 1875-1914. Athens: Morfotiko Foundation, Ethniki Bank.
Hyam, R. (1996) ‘Churchill and the British Empire’. In Blake, R. and Roger Louis, W. (ed.), Churchill. Oxford: Clarendon Press
Hyam, R. (2010) Understanding the British Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Ierodiakonou, L. (1970) Το Κυπριακό Πρόβλημα. (Πορεία προς την χρεωκοπία). Athens: Papazisis.
Karyos, A. (2014) ‘Britain and Cyprus, 1955-1959: Key Themes on the Counter-Insurgency Aspects of the Cyprus Revolt’ in M. Kontos, S. Theodoulou, N. Panayiotides and H. Alexandrou (eds.), Great Power Politics in Cyprus: Foreign Interventions and Domestic Perceptions. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Katsiaounis, R. (1996) Labour, Society and Politics in Cyprus during the second half of the nineteenth century. Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre.
Katsiaounis, R. (2008) Η Διασκεπτική 1946-1948 με ανασκόπηση της περιόδου 1878-1945. Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre.
Kent, J. (1993) British Imperial Strategy and the origins of the Cold War 1944-1949. Leicester: Leicester University Press.
Loomba, A. (1998) Colonialism, Post colonialism. London: Routledge.
Madden, F. and Darwin, J. (eds) (1994) The dependent empire, 1900-1948: colonies, protectorates, and mandates. Westport, CT.: Greenwood Press .
Mommsen, W. (1986) ‘The end of Empire and the Continuity of Imperialism’, in Mommsen, W. and Osterhammel, J. (eds), Imperialism and after. Continuities and Discontinuities, London: Allen & Unwin.
Orr, C.W.J. (1972) Cyprus under British Rule. London: Zeno.
Persianis, P.K. (1978) Church and State in Cyprus Education. The Contribution of the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus to Cyprus Education during the British Administration (1878-1960). Nicosia.
Protopapas, V. (2012) Η εκλογική ιστορία της Κύπρου. Πολιτευτές, Κόμματα και εκλογές στην Αγγλοκρατία 1878-1960. Athens: Themelio.
Richter, H.A. (2007) History of Cyprus, Vol. A: 1878-1949 [in Greek]. Athens: Estia.
Smith, T. (1981)The pattern of imperialism. The United States, Great Britain and the late industrializing world since 1815. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press .
Storrs, R. (1943) Orientations. London: Nicholson and Watson.
Varnava, A. (2009) British Imperialism in Cyprus, 1878-1915. The inconsequential possession. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Young, R.J.C. (2001) Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction. UK: Blackwell Publishers.
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“The Imperialistic Foundations of British Colonial Rule in Cyprus”. 2019. Cyprus Review 30 (1): 297-316. https://cyprusreview.org/index.php/cr/article/view/554.