REGULATING THE ILLEGAL TRADE IN ANTIQUITIES: BRITAIN AND GREECE COMPARED

This book is about policy change in regulating the illegal trade in antiquities by way of a comparative case study between the United Kingdom and Greece – the UK being a prime example of a country that hosts the market in antiquities, Greece being a prime example of a country for whose antiquities this market trades in. The main research question is whether the theoretical perspective of globalization, modernization or Europeanization best explains policy change in regulating the illegal trade in antiquities.
My basic findings are that the regulatory change in Greece, came as a response to international developments begun with the 1970 UNESCO Convention, developments that then continued with the effect of the European Union, Greek elites having used both the Convention and EU law to legitimize policy change in the field. In contrast, developments in the UK (I will argue) had come as the result of crises such as the Sotheby’s scandal and later on the Baghdad looting of antiquities in 2003, which caused irreplaceable damage to the London art market which was based on the notion of trust. It was obvious that the London art market could not continue operating under the self-regulatory system and there was a need for clear rules. Moreover, the British Government wanted to appear as a responsible international player. That is why it enacted a new Act of Law and signed the UNESCO Convention of 1970.
This research aims to contribute in understanding policy change in regulating the illegal trade in antiquities by examining the reasons that have led to this change and the role of the involved actors. In contributing to the understanding of how the regulation of the antiquity trade has developed, this book will assist future research on the effectiveness of regulation as a policy instrument as such.