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This book analyzes the eventsthat impacted the structure and competitive processes of the two dominantCypriot political factions while under the watchful eye of British rule. Basedon new archival research, Alecou addresses the social and political environmentin which the Cypriot Communists and Nationalists fought each other while at thesame time had to fight the British Empire. The differences between communistsand nationalists brought the two sides to a frontal collision in the wake ofthe events of the Greek civil war. The class conflict within Cypriot societywould at some point inevitably lead, in one way or another, to a clash betweenthe two factions. The civil war in Greece constituted another field of conflictbetween Left and Right, accelerating the formation of a bipolar party system inwhich the vertical division of the Greek community in Cyprus eventuallyexpressed itself.
List of contents
.-Introduction..- 1. Class andpolitical formation: Cypriot society before WWII..- 2. Communism and Nationalismin Cyprus..- 3. British methods of rule: Political liberties and theConstitutional Assembly..- 4. External influences: Cyprus as a reflection ofGreece..- 5. Communism vs. Nationalism: fields of conflict..- 6. Leading theanti-colonial movement..- 7. Internationalization of Enosis..- 8. Armed struggle:a one-way path?..- Conclusion.
About the author
Alexios
Alecou is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies of the
University of London, England and he also teaches history at the Open
University of Cyprus. He earned his PhD in Political History from Panteion
University of Athens and his current work includes the study of Postwar Greece
and Cyprus as well as the history and transformation of political institutions
in South European countries.
Summary
This book analyzes the events
that impacted the structure and competitive processes of the two dominant
Cypriot political factions while under the watchful eye of British rule. Based
on new archival research, Alecou addresses the social and political environment
in which the Cypriot Communists and Nationalists fought each other while at the
same time had to fight the British Empire. The differences between communists
and nationalists brought the two sides to a frontal collision in the wake of
the events of the Greek civil war. The class conflict within Cypriot society
would at some point inevitably lead, in one way or another, to a clash between
the two factions. The civil war in Greece constituted another field of conflict
between Left and Right, accelerating the formation of a bipolar party system in
which the vertical division of the Greek community in Cyprus eventually
expressed itself.
