Labour, Society, and Politics in Cyprus During the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century (review)

Over the years, the Cyprus Research Center in Nicosia has produced some notable studies on the history of Cyprus, including the monumental works by G. S. Georgallides and Theodore Papadopoullos. The volume by the young Cypriot scholar Rolandos Katsiaounis, number 24 in the Center’s series, follows in that tradition.

The book is based on the author’s doctoral dissertation at the Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies at King’s College London. An important addition to the historiography of Cyprus from the latter years of the Ottoman era to the turn of this century, it should be of interest not only to historians but also to anyone interested in the social, economic, and political development of the island in this critical period.

The volume is unique because it analyzes the lives and actions of the common people of Cyprus, viewing labor as an essential part of the economic, institutional, and ideological structure of Cypriot society. Instead of focusing on the role of traditional political elites, the author examines neglected aspects of the island’s political, social, and economic development and shows how the poor Cypriot laboring masses channeled their resentment against the ruling elite and found their way into the nationalist discourse of the early twentieth century. The contribution of this volume to Cypriot historiography is that it places historical developments in the context of the fundamental social divide of this period. Moreover, the volume provides important critical insights into the role of the Church of Cyprus in the economic, political, and social development of the island, a role that is often glorified in the traditional, generalized treatments of Cypriot history.

Researching this book was clearly a challenge owing to the lack of readily available material on the laboring poor. Most of the material came from various archives, documents, consular papers, memoirs, etc. The book contains a very useful bibliography of primary and secondary sources.

Dr. Katsiaounis’s remarkable volume should be included in any respectable collection on Cyprus, for it is a book that must be read carefully by all those interested in Cyprus. Although it is understandable why high politics dominate the contemporary literature on Cyprus, it is refreshing to have a volume of this quality and insightfulness. The author challenges traditional interpretations of Cypriot history and provides a new understanding of political and social trends that set in motion the forces that still affect the life of this small but important island republic.