To privatize or not to privatize?
It can be agreed that the turn of the 21st century has confirmed Malta to be one the newest socialist states in Europe. After the era of Mintoff in the 1970s which swayed away from the colonial times under the British Empire, his party focused on bettering diplomatic ties with the other socialist and communist countries of the world, with special focus being put on the Soviet Union and North Korea. Mintoff sought to reduce the influence of the British and NATO and expanded on the public sector and the welfare state, something which was required after the decreasing importance of the dockyard would greatly affect the Maltese population. Despite his conservative ideologies, the socialist Labour Party also managed to introduce civil marriage, decriminalized homosexuality and adultery. The rising political crisis led to Mintoff's resignation in 1984 and although, many look on this era as a period of uncertainty and frequent emigrations, the base of a socialist state started during this...
