Emergence of Civil Society and Social Rights
One of the first manifestations of the will for a voice for civilians was the formation of the Exchange Committee. It was formed by "a few of the leading gentlemen of the three religious denominations — Hebrew, Protestant, Catholic". Their goals were to forward the interests of the prosperous merchant group which had developed in Gibraltar. Initially, they had no political objectives, and concentrated on matters of a social and economic nature insofar as they affected the merchants. In 1817 the Exchange and Commercial Library was founded, to rival the Garrison Library from which civilians, however eminent, were excluded.
Read more about this topic: History Of Nationality In Gibraltar
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