THE ARAB STATES

Oil Changes The Middle East


KSA became an
independent kingdom in
1932 after Abdul Aziz ibn
Saud conquered & united
the region.
 But most of the people were
bedouins whose loyalty
belongs to their tribes.
 As a result, they have little
interest in politics &
national unity.
Abdul Aziz ibn-Saud
 Oil has been
discovered in the KSA
in 1930’s.
 Bedouins who were
herders before started
driving trucks &
working on oil rigs.
 They became familiar
w/ western technology
& ways of living.
 Ways to Modernization by KSA
 The powerful Saud family
upon ruling KSA began the
country’s modernization
program starting in 1950
under the PM Prince Faisal.
 Steps taken to modernize:
1. Built hospitals
2. Built schools
3. Extensive irrigation works
4. Free education for children
5. Brought water to arid lands
Wealth from oil revenues brought
6. Improve agri production tremendous changes in the lives of
7. Utilized western-educated people in ME. KSA in particular used
saudi’s to develop industry these revenues in their modernization
program.
 King Faisal was
assassinated n 1975
but his policies was
continued by Prince
Khalid who succeeded Prince Khalid
him as king & prime
minister.
 Prince Fahd, the deputy
prime minister,
became king when
Khalid died in 1982.

King Fahd
Small Arab states Thrive in oil Wealth

Countries lying on Saudi
Arabia’s border & Arabian
Sea & the Persian Gulf:
1. Yemen Arab Republic
2. People’s Democratic Rep.
of Yemen which are both
poor & underdeveloped &:
3. Oman
4. UAE
5. Bahrain
6. Qatar
7. Kuwait
 Egypt’s Modernization in the
1880’s
Egypt’s first step to modernizing came in
1880’s under Mohammed Ali. Their steps include
the ff:

1. Improvement of the transpo system

2. Expansion of education
3. Modernized industry & agriculture

Modernization after Ali resulted in the building

of Suez Canal which in turn gave way for Britain to
control Egyptian affairs through financial aid.
 Egypt Under the British

 Egypt was formerly a British mandate.

 Granted partial independence as a constitutional
monarchy in 1922.
 In 1936, their independence was recognized by
Britain & withdrew their troops except around Suez
Canal.
 In WWII, British forces set foot on Egypt again to
drive the Italian & German troops from Egypt to
prevent Axis control of the oil fields of the Middle
East & the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
A New Egyptian Government Claims the
Suez Canal
 Egypt’s King Farouk was
disliked by the Egyptian for they
think his policies are favoring
the British.
 His reign has been ended when
army officials overthrew the
king w/c eventually led to the
rule of Col. Gamal Abdel Nasser.
 His first goal is to end foreign
influences in Egypt so his govt.
seize control of Suez Canal in
1956.
 In the hope of regaining the
canal, Britain combined w/
France & Israel.
Gamal Abdel Nasser
 Nasser Strengthens Egypt’s Economy
 Steps made by a 6. Nationalized businesses
Nasser in making the 7. Encouraged the
economy strong: development of industries
1. Limited the amount of
land one can own  Shortcomings of
2. Reduced rent Nasser’s programs:
3. Set up coop where
farmers can get tools & 1. Aswan High Dam failed to
seeds at low prices bring success
4. Built the Aswan High Dam 2. Egypt’s conflict w/ Israel.
5. Decreased their
dependence on the
export of cotton
The Call for Pan-Arabism
 Nasser gave Arabs a new
sense of pride.
 He became the leader in the

movement for Pan-Arabism

or Arab unity.
Goals of Pan-Arabism:
1. Elimination of all foreign
control over Arab affairs.
2. Unification of the Arab world.
3. Destruction of Israel.
 But Nasser’s death cut
short his Pan-Arabism.
 Nasser’s Successor

Anwar el-Sadat continued

Nasser’s policy but shocked the Hosni Mubarak promised to
world in the 70’s when he seek continue Sadat’s policies.
peace w/ Israel.