Egypt in the Reign of Muhammad Ali (Cambridge Middle East Library, Series Number 4)

This account of Egyptian society in the reign of Muhammad Ali traces the beginnings of the nation state in Egypt. It considers Muhammad Ali as part of a social group whose economic interests led them in the direction of trade with Europe as a means of raising money for further investments. They attempted to increase agricultural exports and to use the profits to create industry; then, following the logic of imperialists, their next step was to seek to conquer the surrounding areas to find markets for their industries and sources of raw materials. These policies brought them into conflict with their suzerain, the Ottoman sultan, and with England, since England needed markets in the Middle East. England sought to destroy the new regime in Egypt as a means of exerting influence on the region. In carrying out these economic changes, the country underwent a series of internal developments that were to revolutionize the structure and shape of Egyptian society. The rules of landownership were altered and large estates were formed, Egyptian fallahin were drafted into the army, and the administration was Egyptianized, establishing the groundwork for a nation state. This account of Egyptian society in the reign of Muhammad Ali traces the beginnings of the nation state in Egypt. It considers Muhammad Ali as part of a social group whose economic interests led them in the direction of trade with Europe as a means of raising money for further investments. They attempted to increase agricultural exports and to use the profits to create industry. Afraid of foreign intervention, they created a navy and an arms industry; then, following the logic of imperialists, their next step was to seek to conquer the surrounding areas to find markets for their industries and sources of raw materials. These policies brought them into conflict with their suzerain, the Ottoman sultan, and with England, since England needed markets in the Middle East and sought to destroy the new regime in Egypt as a means of exerting influence on the region. In the process of carrying out these economic developments, the country underwent a series of internal changes that were to revolutionize the structure and shape of Egyptian society. The rules of landownership were altered and large estates were formed, Egyptian fallahin were drafted into the army, and the administration was Egyptianized, establishing the groundwork for a nation state. -- Dust jacket Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Preface 9 Note on transliteration 12 Note on money, weights and measures 12 1 Egypt under the mamluks 13 2 Muhammad Ali the man 36 3 A country without a master 48 4 Master in his own house 72 5 Family, friends and relations 87 6 Internal policies 112 7 Agricultural changes 149 8 Industry and commerce 174 9 Expansion to what end? 208 10 The undoing: Muhammad Ali and Palmerston 244 11 The aftermath 261 12 Conclusion 270 Notes 277 Glossary of Arabic and Turkish terms 297 Select bibliography 303 Index 308 Afaf Lutfi Al-sayyid Marsot. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 291-[295]