The International Context to the Sette Giugno

My latest essay is published in “The Sette Giugno in Maltese History 1919 - 2019”, edited by Professor Henry Frendo. The chapter is titled “1919 and the post-War British Empire: the International Context to the Sette Giugno”

In this chapter, I analyse the international context of the Sette Giugno. Three reasons make such a context important.

Firstly, Malta was a Crown Colony of the British Empire. This placed it into a broader network of commercial, military and strategic significance.

Secondly, the reactions of the Colonial authorities to the riots were a result of commercial, military and strategic necessities of maintaining this colony.

Thirdly, the events unfolding in 1919 were not an isolated incident; rather, parallels can be detected all across the Empire over which the sun was said never to set. While the British Empire reached its zenith in terms of land area and power after the First World War, the first signs of long-term difficulties could be detected.

The book also includes essays by Prof. Henry Frendo, former EU Commissioner Dr Tonio Borg, Prof. Paul Bartolo and Dr Charles Xuereb. It also includes, as annexes, the report of the commission of enquiry and the minutes of the committee looking into compensation for families of the dead and wounded.

The book may be purchased online by clicking here.