The birth-pangs of sovereign statehood : self-government and dominion status in the british empire (1919-1926)

Abstract

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 changes which took place in Malta need to be seen within the wider international context. 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. Nationhood and statehood are two terms that are often used interchangeably. Nonetheless, they are two distinct elements with different political implications. In 1921 Malta, undoubtedly, had many features of a nation. It was isolated and homogenous, and there was a sense of a 'common historical experience'. There were no divisions based on 'race, religion, tribe or culture'. Nonetheless, Malta was not a sovereign state in our contemporary understanding of this word. Under the Montevideo Convention, which attempted to define statehood, Malta satisfied some criteria. It had a permanent population and a defined territory. However, its government was not entirely sovereign, and it could not enter into relations with other states.