Britain and the Arab Emirates 1820-1956 : A documentary study

The aim of this study is to examine the British policy toward the United Arab Emirates from 1820 until 1956. The relationship between Britain and the Emirates

began in 1820 with the signing of "a general treaty between Britain and the Arab Tribes of the Persian Gulf". From that time until 1900, Britain set about consolidating its position in the region with the signing of a number of other treaties with the tribes of the region. British policy towards the Trucial States from 1820 to 1956 can be divided into two stages. The first stag~lasted from 1820 to 1945. During that period Britain concentrated on maintaining her interests, and refrained from interfering in the internal affairs of the Emirates except when her interests were threatened. The second stage lasted from 1945 to 1956. That period which is the most important period in the history of the Emirates has, in my view, not been adequately studied. During that period Britain adopted a new pol icy aimed at developing the social, economic and political conditions in the Emirates. In 1952, Britain managed for the first time in the history of the Trucial States to unify the Sheikhs under a "Trucial States Council" to help Britain carry out its development programme. Such policy resulted in the establishment of formal education, a legal system, an administrative system as well as new stable economic resources. In this way the Trucial Coast Sheikhdoms moved from being a tribal society into a nation-state, albeit not a fully developed one. This is what this study hopes to describe on the basis of relevant documents.