History Class - no talking at the back!

My previous post got me thinking about colonialism, so I went to my bookshelf and had a quick flick through William Cleveland's excellent History of the Modern Middle East. It's a comprehensive and textbook-esque account which is thin on detail but good for reference purposes.

The stuff on Egypt is particularly strong; 25 years condensed down into 5 pages! British intervention in Egypt is identified as “one of the most significant colonial encounters of the modern era”, one which had a profound effect upon Egyptian economic development and political formation. The British had occupied Egypt to restore order after forces hostile to European influence had assumed political control, but the invasion was perhaps equally a response to French imperial ambitions in the region.

What began as a short-term invasion gradually morphed into an occupation. Since Egypt remained an Ottoman province, the original structure of government had to be preserved; native personnel answered to British advisors under the direction of Lord Cromer. Cleveland ends this passage by arguing that the infamous Dinshaway Incident did more than discredit the British occupation and arouse widespread anger.

Cleveland’s account serves as a gateway into the central issues surrounding the British occupation of Egypt, a good base from which to explore the complexities of the period.