Book Review - The Evolution of the Political, Social and Economic Life of Cyprus, 1191–1950: by Sakellaropoulos, S., Palgrave Studies in Economic History, 2022, ISBN 978-3-030-91838-5

The German philosopher Georg Hegel, in his Lectures on the Philosophy of History, famously viewed history as a ‘slaughter bench, on which the happiness of nations, the wisdom of States, and the virtue of individuals were victimised’ (1894, p. 22). For Hegel, history covers periods of turmoil and conflict. The periods of ‘happiness’ and ‘harmony’ are the blank pages in history books (1894, p. 28). This is very true for the case of Cyprus. The historical treatises that explore the periods of non-conflict—in the mainstream understanding of the notion of violence—are sadly lacking in these books. This results from a misconception of conflict and history...