Foreign policy as a tool for economic development - the case of Malta and Dom Mintoff 1971-1984

The global historiography of the Cold War is complex, continually expanding and dominated by the analysis of a select few actors that heavily influenced the political climate and international relations after the end of World War II. Smaller states, though less important in the overall context of the Cold War, deserve closer scrutiny as a consequence of the decisions their governments took as they emerged from colonial control. Malta is one example of a state that emerged from British control and recast itself using the Cold War context to achieve certain advantages, particularly through investment, and yet has received little academic attention overall. This thesis explores Malta in the context of international development through its 360-degree approach to foreign policy, as implemented by Prime Minister Dom Mintoff, by applying a complex theoretical framework of nationalism, postcolonialism, nonalignment, East - West relations and neutrality. Using a case study methodological approach, this thesis draws on a range of primary sources from government documents, confidential briefs, speeches and correspondence along with the fragmented academic analyses that already exist on various aspects of Malta's behaviour, decision making and ideological approach to foreign policy during the Cold War. It does so in order to construct and comprehensively evidence the argument that Malta's foreign policy between 1971 and 1984 was highly effective, positioning it as a developing country that was able to converge with the developed world instead of diverging from it and thus avoid the potential trap of becoming dependent on it in the post-imperial context. This thesis is comprised of three distinct but interrelated strands of thought. The distinction between integration and self-determination, failure of Malta's Third World project and its geostrategic position enabling self-sufficiency all contributed to the avoidance of resource curse traps and dependency, empowering Mintoff's governments to successfully recast the nation's international development through its 360-degree approach in a Mediterranean Cold War context.