Malta's Road to Autonomy

I took part in the documentary on "Malta's Road to Autonomy: 100 years on from the 1921 Self-Government" constitution, produced by the National Library of Malta.

In my short talk, I spoke about Self-Government and Dominion Status in the British Empire (1919-1926). The changes which took place in Malta need to be seen within the wider international context.

Though ostensibly the “high noon” of the British Empire, the period 1919 – 1926 was characterised by profound changes in the constitutional arrangements of a number of Colonies and Dominions.

The political changes of the period were driven by both the disgruntlement with the Empire following the Great War and the popularisation of the concept of ‘self-determination’. This period sowed the seeds for the decolonisation process which was to take place after the Second World War.

The documentary will be available later this month. The talk was delivered in Maltese but English subtitles will be available.