Rights statement: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History on 02/08/2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/03086534.2016.1210811
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Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Governor Sir John Field in St Helena
T2 - democratic reform in a small British colony, 1962-68
AU - Constantine, Stephen
N1 - This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History on 02/08/2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/03086534.2016.1210811
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - In the age of decolonisation, Whitehall generally accepted the case for political advancement even in small British colonies like St Helena judged too lacking in resources to become independent states, provided this could be granted without risk to good government. The previous experience of Sir John Field in West Africa and his sensitivity to UN expectations lay behind the democratic reforms he introduced, which by 1968 had established an elected Legislative Council and an Executive Council made up mainly of LegCo members. But the steps he took owed little to sustained popular demand for self-government, as was common elsewhere, and much to his determination to make islanders politically more responsible. Public engagement was inhibited by practical constraints, local culture, and a discouraging financial dependence on the UK government.
AB - In the age of decolonisation, Whitehall generally accepted the case for political advancement even in small British colonies like St Helena judged too lacking in resources to become independent states, provided this could be granted without risk to good government. The previous experience of Sir John Field in West Africa and his sensitivity to UN expectations lay behind the democratic reforms he introduced, which by 1968 had established an elected Legislative Council and an Executive Council made up mainly of LegCo members. But the steps he took owed little to sustained popular demand for self-government, as was common elsewhere, and much to his determination to make islanders politically more responsible. Public engagement was inhibited by practical constraints, local culture, and a discouraging financial dependence on the UK government.
U2 - 10.1080/03086534.2016.1210811
DO - 10.1080/03086534.2016.1210811
M3 - Journal article
VL - 44
SP - 672
EP - 696
JO - Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
JF - Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History
SN - 0308-6534
IS - 4
ER -