Statehood and Pan-Arabism in the Middle East
Success/Failure of Authoritarian Regimes
Success
Failure
Mix
Social and economic demands of the people
Turkey:
- 1925 Tobacco
Turkey - Ataturk nationalised their tobacco industry in 1925 = national income rose
- 1935 Women
The life of women was improved when they granted full suffrage
Egypt:
- 1952 King Farouk
Overthrown by the Free Officers due to corruption, under-development + unfair
distribution of wealth
- 1954+ Nasser
Nationalisation of large companies + transport systems + building of the Aswan Dam
- highly-skilled professionals being produced, 2,000 villages electrified. Land reforms
to share land more equally led to rural poverty being reduced. Farming became more
efficient. Mid-60s Egyptians were better off + healthier and better fed BUT economy
slowed after 1964 because of less foreign investment from West + Soviet Union +
having to replace Egypt's military losses from the 1967 war.
- 1978 Pragmatism
When Sadat reduced food subsidies by half, he repealed his reforms due to
responses
- 2011 Arab Spring
Mubarak overthrow due to corruption, underdevelopment + unfair distribution of
wealth
Iraq:
- 1972 nationalisation of Iraqi oil
Improved income from $575 million in 1952 to $26,500 million in 1980
- 1980 Iran-Iraq war
Both economies were deeply entrenched in warfare for 8 years, exhausting the
economy
- Saddam Hussein
An admirer of Stalin's terror = executed + imprison without trial by any opposition
, Syria:
- 1920 French mandate
subsidies for building hospitals + roads in Syria during the mandate period
- 1967 six-day war
Participation in war destroyed Syrian airforce - economic conditions of citizens were
jeopardised
- UAR collapse 1961
Arab unity socioeconomically disadvantaged + exploited Syrians. Syria felt exploited
and inferior to Egypt thus called for the Union's collapse
- 2011 Civil War
Lack of progress under Batthists, people demanded Al-Assads resignations thus
ensuing a civil war
Iran:
- 1963 White Revolution
Doubling literacy rates during this revolution
- 1941+ Shah
People resented his wealth + corruption while they lived in poverty
- 1980 Iran-Iraq War
Both economies were deeply entrenched in warfare for 8 years, exhausting the
economy
- 2000+ economic sanctions
Iran developed a nuclear enrichment programme on which the USA and its allies
imposed economic sanctions in order to deter the country from acquiring nuclear
weapons
Cultural and religious needs of their people
Turkey:
- 1923 Treaty of Lausanne
Promised Kurd's independence. Turks brutally suppressed them in response, thereby
relations between the 2 fell.
- 1915-17 Turkification
Turks persecuted Armenians in a genocide forcing 1.5 million to flee
- Ataturk’s policy
Policy of westernisation = liberal views expressed e.g the constitution not being
based around Islam
Islamic + Turkish heritage taken over by Western ideals e.g Gregorian calender being
introduced
Egypt:
- 1953 Nasser + Muslim Brotherhood
Banned = Islamic fundamentalists couldn't discuss their beliefs
- 2011 Muslim Brotherhood
Took over after Mabarak was usurped in the Arab Spring
Iraq:
- 1980 Shiite
200,000 Shiites deported to Iran + 50,000 in first Gulf War
- 1988 Kurds
As a minority, were persecuted by Saddam with 90% of their villages being destroyed
Success/Failure of Authoritarian Regimes
Success
Failure
Mix
Social and economic demands of the people
Turkey:
- 1925 Tobacco
Turkey - Ataturk nationalised their tobacco industry in 1925 = national income rose
- 1935 Women
The life of women was improved when they granted full suffrage
Egypt:
- 1952 King Farouk
Overthrown by the Free Officers due to corruption, under-development + unfair
distribution of wealth
- 1954+ Nasser
Nationalisation of large companies + transport systems + building of the Aswan Dam
- highly-skilled professionals being produced, 2,000 villages electrified. Land reforms
to share land more equally led to rural poverty being reduced. Farming became more
efficient. Mid-60s Egyptians were better off + healthier and better fed BUT economy
slowed after 1964 because of less foreign investment from West + Soviet Union +
having to replace Egypt's military losses from the 1967 war.
- 1978 Pragmatism
When Sadat reduced food subsidies by half, he repealed his reforms due to
responses
- 2011 Arab Spring
Mubarak overthrow due to corruption, underdevelopment + unfair distribution of
wealth
Iraq:
- 1972 nationalisation of Iraqi oil
Improved income from $575 million in 1952 to $26,500 million in 1980
- 1980 Iran-Iraq war
Both economies were deeply entrenched in warfare for 8 years, exhausting the
economy
- Saddam Hussein
An admirer of Stalin's terror = executed + imprison without trial by any opposition
, Syria:
- 1920 French mandate
subsidies for building hospitals + roads in Syria during the mandate period
- 1967 six-day war
Participation in war destroyed Syrian airforce - economic conditions of citizens were
jeopardised
- UAR collapse 1961
Arab unity socioeconomically disadvantaged + exploited Syrians. Syria felt exploited
and inferior to Egypt thus called for the Union's collapse
- 2011 Civil War
Lack of progress under Batthists, people demanded Al-Assads resignations thus
ensuing a civil war
Iran:
- 1963 White Revolution
Doubling literacy rates during this revolution
- 1941+ Shah
People resented his wealth + corruption while they lived in poverty
- 1980 Iran-Iraq War
Both economies were deeply entrenched in warfare for 8 years, exhausting the
economy
- 2000+ economic sanctions
Iran developed a nuclear enrichment programme on which the USA and its allies
imposed economic sanctions in order to deter the country from acquiring nuclear
weapons
Cultural and religious needs of their people
Turkey:
- 1923 Treaty of Lausanne
Promised Kurd's independence. Turks brutally suppressed them in response, thereby
relations between the 2 fell.
- 1915-17 Turkification
Turks persecuted Armenians in a genocide forcing 1.5 million to flee
- Ataturk’s policy
Policy of westernisation = liberal views expressed e.g the constitution not being
based around Islam
Islamic + Turkish heritage taken over by Western ideals e.g Gregorian calender being
introduced
Egypt:
- 1953 Nasser + Muslim Brotherhood
Banned = Islamic fundamentalists couldn't discuss their beliefs
- 2011 Muslim Brotherhood
Took over after Mabarak was usurped in the Arab Spring
Iraq:
- 1980 Shiite
200,000 Shiites deported to Iran + 50,000 in first Gulf War
- 1988 Kurds
As a minority, were persecuted by Saddam with 90% of their villages being destroyed
