State and society in mid-nineteenth-century Egypt

Previous studies of 19th century Egypt have often been premature in identifying the existence of an independent nation state. This book argues that in the mid-19th century period Egypt was still an Ottoman province, with a provincial Ottoman elite which was only gradually becoming Egyptian. Part one discusses the creation of a dynastic order in Egypt, especially under Abbas Pasa (1848-1854), and the formation of an Ottoman-Egyptian ruling class. It surveys the nature of government service and the dynamics of political power. Part two deals with the non-elite groups, the vast majority of Egypt's population. It investigates the pressures applied to the rural and urban orders and the degree of resistance which was given in return. A final chapter offers a convincing picture of the social and cultural life of the period in a way which has never before been attempted in a Middle East context. The book uses a wide variety of documentary sources, including police and court records, chronicles and travel literature. -from Author