A question of sovereignty? Iceland and Malta

Abstract

Does sovereignty make any significant difference to small island territories? In the case of Iceland, this question arises starkly when that country is compared to Newfoundland, especially given their sharp divergence as fisheries economies. Sovereignty raised its head again when fiery nationalist Dom Mintoff made the case for Malta's economic success as a sovereign nation in the 1970s and shifted Malta's foreign policy from a western alliance to a more balanced or neutral position. This paper will examine how far sovereignty contributed to the economic success of Iceland and Malta during their early years of independence and its continuing relevance and resonance in these countries today.