Malta is a high income developed small state with an impressive level of economic growth and a multitude of social services which have helped to provide free health and education to all its citizens and benefits to low income earners however various national and global factors are now threatening the sustainability of this extensive social security model this paper examines the economic political and social development of the island particularly since independence highlighting the . Case study malta malta is a high income developed small state with an impressive level of economic growth and a multitude of social services which have helped to provide free health and education to all its citizens and benefits to low income earners however various national and global factors are now threatening the sustainability of this extensive social security model this paper examines the economic political and social development of the island particularly since independence . 1963 2018 55 years of research for social change unrisd united nations research institute for social development 55 years unrisd 1963 2018 research for social change. Social policies in small states series the country case studies and thematic papers in this series examine social policy issues facing small states and the implications for economic development they show how despite their inherent vulnerability some small states have been successful in improving their social indicators because of the complementary social and economic policies they have . Dr azzopardi sustains that although certain social policy measures were introduced in the 1920s the maltese welfare state policies were mainly implemented during the 1970s and 1980s the 1990s saw the orientation in social policy shift from a welfare state to a welfare society