The History of the Communist Party in Cyprus: Colonialism, Class and the Cypriot Left

277 Pages·2014·15.83 MB·English

by  Yiannos Katsourides

St6 3 -2_ol. 17
T HE HISTORY OF
T HE C O M M U N I ST
PARTY IN CYPRUS
Colonialism, Class and the Cypriot Left
YIANNOS KATSOURIDES
I.B.TAU R IS
LONDON - NEW YORK /
To my family of origin,
Nicos, Androulla and Alexandros
(a person's roots)
To my family of creation,
Yiota, Nicos and Stelios
(a person's ivings)
Published in 2014 by I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd
6 Salem Road, London W2 4BU
175 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10010
www.ibtauris.com
Distributed in the United States and Canada
Exclusively by Palgrave Macmillan
175 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10010
Copyright © 2014 Yiannos Katsourides
The right of Yiannos Katsourides to be identified as the author of this work has been
asserted by the author in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part
thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
International Library of Twentieth Century History 59
ISBN: 978 1 78076 174 9
A full CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
A full CIP record is available from the Library of Congress
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: available
Typeset in Garamond Three by OKS Prepress Services, Chennai, India
Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY
To my family of origin,
Nicos, Androulla and Alexandros
(a person's roots)
To my family of creation,
Yiota, Nicos and Stelios
(a person's ivings)
Published in 2014 by I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd
6 Salem Road, London W2 4BU
175 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10010
www.ibtauris.com
Distributed in the United States and Canada
Exclusively by Palgrave Macmillan
175 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10010
Copyright © 2014 Yiannos Katsourides
The right of Yiannos Katsourides to be identified as the author of this work has been
asserted by the author in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part
thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
International Library of Twentieth Century History 59
ISBN: 978 1 78076 174 9
A full CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
A full CIP record is available from the Library of Congress
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: available
Typeset in Garamond Three by OKS Prepress Services, Chennai, India
Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY
CONTENTS
Abbreviations viii
Acknowledgements x
Foreword xiii
Introduction 1
1. The Particularities of Cyprus: Late Economic
Development and Belated Nation Building 17
2. Political Institutions and Political Participation 44
3. Political Origins 68
4. The Communist Party of Cyprus 92
5. Organisational Structuring: A Parallel Society 113
6. Political Integration 150
7. The Years of Illegality and Taking Off 173
Conclusion Agent of Social Change and Radicalisation 196
Notes 206
Bibliography 250
Index 260
ABBREVIATIONS
Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL)
Progressive Youth Organisation (AON)
United Democratic Youth Organisation (EDON)
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
Worker-Peasant Party (WPP)
Workers' Communist Youth League (WCYL)
ABBREVIATIONS
Agrarian Party (AP)
Archives of Contemporary Social History (ASKI)
British Labour Party (BLP)
Communist International (Comintern)
Communist Party of Cyprus (CPC)
Communist Party of Greece (CPG)
Communist Party of Britain (CPB)
Communist Youth of Cyprus (CYC)
Cypriot Farmers Union (EAK)
Cypriot Farmers Union (EKA)
Cyprus Labour Party (CLP)
Cyprus Workers' Confederation (SEK)
Greek Builders Union (GBU)
Labour - Agrarian Party (LAP)
Labour Federation (LF)
Limassol Labour Centre (LLC)
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO)
Pancyprian Federation of Women Organisations (POGO)
Pancyprian Organisation of Democratic Women (PODG)
Pancyprian Trade Union Committee (PTUC)
Popular Cooperative Union (PCU)
Popular Party (PP)
ABBREVIATIONS
Progressive Party of the Working People (AKEL)
Progressive Youth Organisation (AON)
United Democratic Youth Organisation (EDON)
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
Worker-Peasant Party (WPP)
Workers' Communist Youth League (WCYL)
ABBREVIATIONS
Agrarian Party (AP)
Archives of Contemporary Social History (ASKI)
British Labour Party (BLP)
Communist International (Comintern)
Communist Party of Cyprus (CPC)
Communist Party of Greece (CPG)
Communist Party of Britain (CPB)
Communist Youth of Cyprus (CYC)
Cypriot Farmers Union (EAK)
Cypriot Farmers Union (EKA)
Cyprus Labour Party (CLP)
Cyprus Workers' Confederation (SEK)
Greek Builders Union (GBU)
Labour - Agrarian Party (LAP)
Labour Federation (LF)
Limassol Labour Centre (LLC)
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO)
Pancyprian Federation of Women Organisations (POGO)
Pancyprian Organisation of Democratic Women (PODG)
Pancyprian Trade Union Committee (PTUC)
Popular Cooperative Union (PCU)
Popular Party (PP)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS XI
some form or another into this text. I would like to acknowledege
the following people for their contribution (alphabetically): Alexis
Alecou, Andreas Panayiotou, Caesar Mavratsas, Christophoros Tzionis,
Christos Kourtellaris (senior), the late Giorgos Christodoulides, Kostas
Gouliamos, Maria Hadjipavlou, Michalis Spourdalakis, Nicos
Katsourides, Petros Papapolyviou, Robert Holland, Rolandos
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Katsiaounis, Yiannakis Colokasides.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the supervisor of my original
doctoral dissertation, Professor Kyriakos Demetriou, who provided
invaluable feedback and detailed comments on earlier drafts. Our
lengthy discussions throughout the years have helped me understand
the way in which scholarly research must be planned, structured and
The left movement in Cyprus has a long-standing presence on the presented.
island, second only to the Greek Orthodox Church. As long ago as This research would not have been possible without the support of
the early 1920s, the left institutionalised its presence by establishing several people, to whom I owe many thanks. Elena Petridou-Challouma
Cyprus's first political party. Since then, the left has revealed itself to and Stavroulla Sofroniou, administrative staff of the University of
be a powerful social and electoral presence in Cyprus. Cyprus s Department of Social and Political Sciences, for their help
Despite their significant presence, however, the communist left in during the years of my PhD thesis. Christos Spyrou and Vassilis
Cyprus has never been the subject of historical or academic research, Constantinou at the Press and Information Office of the Republic of
leaving a significant gap in the history of modern Cyprus. It was this Cyprus for facilitating my study of the press archive. Maria
lack of serious and comprehensive research on the Communist Party Economidou, head of the library of the Cyprus Archaeological
of Cyprus (CPC) that led me to undertake such a study. And so I Museum, for allowing me access to the newspapers of the CPC that
began to investigate the origins, organisation and political discourse have been withdrawn from public view due to deterioration caused by
of the CPC, the first island-wide political party in Cyprus. the lapse of time. Photographer Andreas Manolis for photographing
This book has its roots in my family tradition. My grandfather was and digitalising the newspapers of the CPC. Susannah Verney, who took
a member of the CPC and (a prominent cadre) of AKEL; my father, on the difficult task of translating the Greek text of my PhD thesis into
too, was a leading figure in AKEL. The book, originally a large part English. Kathy Stephanides, who undertook the editing of the book.
of my doctoral dissertation, is a study of both the CPC and democracy Tomasz Hoskins at I.B.Tauris for being such an exemplary and patient
in Cyprus in the British colonial era. In the present book I have editor and Allison Walker for her assistance in finalising the book.
explored many of these same areas but more deeply, and the end Financial support for part of the research was provided by the
product is an updated and much richer study and analysis. British School at Athens and the A.G. Leventis Foundation to whom
As was perhaps always likely to be the case, this book has taken I also extend my gratitude. Special thanks are also due to Professor
rather longer to complete than I had originally anticipated. Given the Philip Murphy, Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies
rather lengthy gestation, I have incurred an extensive array of debts, of the University of London, for awarding me a visiting fellowship
both personal and intellectual. A number of people have commented at the Institute, which helped my research at the National Archives
at various stages on the ideas and arguments that found their way in in London.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS XI
some form or another into this text. I would like to acknowledege
the following people for their contribution (alphabetically): Alexis
Alecou, Andreas Panayiotou, Caesar Mavratsas, Christophoros Tzionis,
Christos Kourtellaris (senior), the late Giorgos Christodoulides, Kostas
Gouliamos, Maria Hadjipavlou, Michalis Spourdalakis, Nicos
Katsourides, Petros Papapolyviou, Robert Holland, Rolandos
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Katsiaounis, Yiannakis Colokasides.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the supervisor of my original
doctoral dissertation, Professor Kyriakos Demetriou, who provided
invaluable feedback and detailed comments on earlier drafts. Our
lengthy discussions throughout the years have helped me understand
the way in which scholarly research must be planned, structured and
The left movement in Cyprus has a long-standing presence on the presented.
island, second only to the Greek Orthodox Church. As long ago as This research would not have been possible without the support of
the early 1920s, the left institutionalised its presence by establishing several people, to whom I owe many thanks. Elena Petridou-Challouma
Cyprus's first political party. Since then, the left has revealed itself to and Stavroulla Sofroniou, administrative staff of the University of
be a powerful social and electoral presence in Cyprus. Cyprus s Department of Social and Political Sciences, for their help
Despite their significant presence, however, the communist left in during the years of my PhD thesis. Christos Spyrou and Vassilis
Cyprus has never been the subject of historical or academic research, Constantinou at the Press and Information Office of the Republic of
leaving a significant gap in the history of modern Cyprus. It was this Cyprus for facilitating my study of the press archive. Maria
lack of serious and comprehensive research on the Communist Party Economidou, head of the library of the Cyprus Archaeological
of Cyprus (CPC) that led me to undertake such a study. And so I Museum, for allowing me access to the newspapers of the CPC that
began to investigate the origins, organisation and political discourse have been withdrawn from public view due to deterioration caused by
of the CPC, the first island-wide political party in Cyprus. the lapse of time. Photographer Andreas Manolis for photographing
This book has its roots in my family tradition. My grandfather was and digitalising the newspapers of the CPC. Susannah Verney, who took
a member of the CPC and (a prominent cadre) of AKEL; my father, on the difficult task of translating the Greek text of my PhD thesis into
too, was a leading figure in AKEL. The book, originally a large part English. Kathy Stephanides, who undertook the editing of the book.
of my doctoral dissertation, is a study of both the CPC and democracy Tomasz Hoskins at I.B.Tauris for being such an exemplary and patient
in Cyprus in the British colonial era. In the present book I have editor and Allison Walker for her assistance in finalising the book.
explored many of these same areas but more deeply, and the end Financial support for part of the research was provided by the
product is an updated and much richer study and analysis. British School at Athens and the A.G. Leventis Foundation to whom
As was perhaps always likely to be the case, this book has taken I also extend my gratitude. Special thanks are also due to Professor
rather longer to complete than I had originally anticipated. Given the Philip Murphy, Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies
rather lengthy gestation, I have incurred an extensive array of debts, of the University of London, for awarding me a visiting fellowship
both personal and intellectual. A number of people have commented at the Institute, which helped my research at the National Archives
at various stages on the ideas and arguments that found their way in in London.
XII THE HISTORY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY IN CYPRUS
As I mentioned at the outset, the original inspiration for this book
is owed to my family: my father Nicos, my late mother Androulla
and my brother Alexandros. Each one has helped and supported my
effort in his/her own different way. My gratitude to them is
immeasurable.
Finally, I must thank my wife Yiota, without whom I would never
have been able to complete this book. It is, therefore, rightly and FOREWORD
with all my love, that I dedicate the book to her.
Yiannos Katsourides
The history of political parties in Cyprus, their foundation and role
within a state of affairs dominated by constant flux, discord and
turbulence, has been long an uncharted area of academic research.
Dr Yiannos Katsourides' lucid study on the history of the
Communist Party of Cyprus (CPC), the formal predecessor of the
existing Progressive Party of the Working People, AKEL, comes as
a welcome debut and promises to fill a multi-fragmented 'party
map' as well as probe into scattered material related to the
emergence and endurance of the Cypriot Left on the island. The
study is essentially and unequivocally a major contribution to
the field of Cypriot political history, exploring a wide range of
factors and ensuing dynamics, often at variance with international
norms and practices, which led to the consolidation of the Cypriot
Left in the middle of the 1920s.
Among its many unique features the CPC emerged in the contest
of British imperialist rule and thus could not function within, nor
embrace, the spectrum of traditional, party-oriented forms of
activism, organisational structure and political discourse. The origins
of the CPC and its aftermath are therefore inextricably linked to a
variety of extraneous influences, and most notably those of the
imperialist hegemon, Greece and Turkey. Despite, or because of,
those largely untypical features and contextual parameters, the CPC
interestingly permeated Cypriot society and managed to get
XII THE HISTORY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY IN CYPRUS
As I mentioned at the outset, the original inspiration for this book
is owed to my family: my father Nicos, my late mother Androulla
and my brother Alexandros. Each one has helped and supported my
effort in his/her own different way. My gratitude to them is
immeasurable.
Finally, I must thank my wife Yiota, without whom I would never
have been able to complete this book. It is, therefore, rightly and FOREWORD
with all my love, that I dedicate the book to her.
Yiannos Katsourides
The history of political parties in Cyprus, their foundation and role
within a state of affairs dominated by constant flux, discord and
turbulence, has been long an uncharted area of academic research.
Dr Yiannos Katsourides' lucid study on the history of the
Communist Party of Cyprus (CPC), the formal predecessor of the
existing Progressive Party of the Working People, AKEL, comes as
a welcome debut and promises to fill a multi-fragmented 'party
map' as well as probe into scattered material related to the
emergence and endurance of the Cypriot Left on the island. The
study is essentially and unequivocally a major contribution to
the field of Cypriot political history, exploring a wide range of
factors and ensuing dynamics, often at variance with international
norms and practices, which led to the consolidation of the Cypriot
Left in the middle of the 1920s.
Among its many unique features the CPC emerged in the contest
of British imperialist rule and thus could not function within, nor
embrace, the spectrum of traditional, party-oriented forms of
activism, organisational structure and political discourse. The origins
of the CPC and its aftermath are therefore inextricably linked to a
variety of extraneous influences, and most notably those of the
imperialist hegemon, Greece and Turkey. Despite, or because of,
those largely untypical features and contextual parameters, the CPC
interestingly permeated Cypriot society and managed to get