Colonial arrogance and superiority

My list of recommended books on the British Empire seems to have irked Alan Cooke. Instead of focusing on the subject, he preferred to bring in French colonialism, which Malta did not experience and, therefore, is not that relevant to national academic research.

Once mentioned, however, it is good to remember that French influence (together with Italian and Spanish ones) in Malta left a legacy of arts and fine architecture, a chivalric profile that imbued the island’s capacity for outdoor celebration and traditions, besides administration, military, naval and medical competency and the basis of academy, librarianship and governance.

Following this patrimony left by the French-inspired Order of the Knights (1530-1798) – on which we have built most of our identity and tourism – the brief but crucial period of French republicanism (1798-1800) must also have sparked the first notions of liberty, so challenging to medieval Malta and Europe. 

A recent special number of the French history magazine L’Histoire, focusing on the Algerian tragedies leading to independence in 1962 and after,

I have no problems with Englishness, being born and bred in a former colony. As a sociological historian, my scientific research (evidence my academic contributions) focuses on Malta’s lot as a colony in the British Empire, controlled by remote colonial authorities from the metropole and a series of semi-retired military governors whose dominant arrogance has infected some Maltese with a perpetuated historical malady.

I access several French academics whose criticism of colonialism is educationally widespread in France much more than its potential parallel in the UK, where empire- glory nostalgia unfortunately still eclipses analysis of the negatives of colonialism, with manifest consequences.

In this regard, I admire French scholars for the way they confront the wounds of colonialism in their efforts to probe past contentions.

Furthermore, a commendable example, which the British would do well to follow, is the French president’s recent overtures towards Algeria, even if partially motivated by current economic constrains. One hardly ever sees the UK’s head of state or executive political powers publicly addressing the dark side of empire.

Undoubtedly, Malta has gained, like the biblical Lazarus under the table, from British competence in a number of fields. Yet, happily, it has also unlearned the arrogance and pretentious superiority of British colonialists that had penetrated the minds of those who, at times, had to lick colonial boots in order to make political democratic advances. The colonial mentality takes longer to abate, hence my book The Decolonisation of the Maltese Mind, out in autumn.

CHARLES XUEREB – Sliema

Convincing arguments

I refer to Klaus Vella Bardon’s letter concerning the possible abortion-inducing properties of the morning-after contraceptive pill (September 3). He displays the same degree of arrogance which he ascribes to his nemesis, Isabel Stabile. 

Why should the opinion of “his” expert be in any way superior to those of other experts who may hold opposing views? As with many scientific debates, there are opinions genuinely held on both sides of an argument with evidence to back that opinion.

Calling people arrogant because they happen to hold a different opinion does not help to convince anyone that your point of view is, unquestionably, the correct one. 

Barbara Gauci – Sannat

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