The politics of the compact government (1927-1930)

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a keen insight on the working of the Compact government between 1927-1930. It discusses how the CP and LP contested elections under their respective manifestos and agreed to work in tandem through a common programme. For good or ill, in coalition the CP and LP had to bridge differences and individual preferences. They resorted to open negotiation and compromise as well as argument, at times, which were all indispensable given that these parties differed extensively in scope and principle. The working of this government precipitated interparty tensions, since the two parties in coalition were ideologically incompatible and their divergences ran in parallel to their cooperation. Another section of this dissertation focuses on how this administration asserted itself despite its innate tensions and strong opposition from the Senate and Nationalist Opposition in the Legislative Assembly. Indeed this study goes beyond the traditional views regarding Church-State relations and the Administration’s efforts at anglicising Malta. Through this research based partly on primary sources and secondary sources, I have sought to present a critical analysis on the implications of this coalition government in Maltese politics.