Militarism in post-war Cyprus: the development of the ideology of defence

Abstract

This article provides a theorisation of militarism in post-war Cyprus. Based on qualitative empirical research conducted in Cyprus in 2011, the article explores the manifestation and steadfastness of Greek-Cypriot militarism, and the development of this militarism, which appeared after the partition of the island in 1974. In particular, it proposes the ideology of defence as a way to understand post-war Greek-Cypriot militarism. It shows the embedded nature of defence in the idea of the national struggle. It aims at mapping the character of this militarism in order to provide the grounds for future discussion. Only by understanding the interconnecting discourses that made Greek-Cypriot militarism possible in post-war Cyprus, can we understand its past, present, and future.

Keywords:

• Militarism
• defence
• post-war Cyprus
• Cyprus problem
• Single Area Defence Doctrine Cyprus–Greece
• Greek Cypriot
• national struggle
• nation-in-arms
• military masculinity
• femininity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. I refer to “invasion” or “occupation” as contested concepts. What is understood by GCs as an “invasion,” for the Turkish Cypriot community is largely understood as “intervention.” The broader, and also official GC, understanding of the conflict situation as “invasion and occupation,” opposes its alternative (and internationally prominent) that it is a “bi-communal conflict amongst two ethnic communities; GCs and TCTCs.”

2. This particular relationship between society, state, and armed forces that asserts the state as a masculine militarist entity has been also repeatedly identified in other post-armed conflict divided societies (e.g. Israel, see Ehrlich 1987).

3. In the last census (2011), the population of Cyprus was slightly more than 800,000 (exactly: 838,897) (see Statistical Service RoC).

4. GCs living in Cyprus pay “defence tax” in most of their financial transactions. This is a levy called the “Special Contribution for defence tax,” based on the Special Contribution for defence law (Number 117(Ι)/2002). This law provides that any income is subject to a special contribution for defence (including dividends, interest, and rents, where the entire taxable income is subject to a special levy) (see Cyprus Inland Revenue Department).

5. Also, receipts from increased taxes on gasoline and cigarettes are to be deposited in the defence fund.

6. See UN military expenditure data and Stockholm International Peace Institute for detailed data on defence spending.

7. Such as the abolition of the annual joint GC military exercise “Nikihforos” (In Greek: “Νικηφόρος”) and Greek exercise "Toxitis" (in Greek: Τοξότης), since the two were held together, in conjunction with the abolition of the Turkish military exercise “Bull” (In Greek: Tαύρος).