ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how the reactions to the November 1920 rejection of enosis furthered the democratic deficit emerging in Cyprus. Nicholas Oeconomou argued that the liberties given to Cyprus by the British had ‘injured the people’, because they had been abused by the educated classes. The British colonial officials had consistently claimed that the peasants were against enosis and were pro-British, or at least apathetic. The British Government’s rejection of enosis divided its adherents into extremists and moderates and the British authorities attempted to encourage the moderates and those indifferent to enosis. Using Kyrillos, the pro-enosis agitators complained about Stevenson’s actions, which annoyed the Colonial Office. As the island was moving towards becoming a Crown Colony, the new opposition to enosis was growing behind those wanting to work with the British to improve conditions, while a new labour opposition was also developing, which was indifferent to enosis.
