On The Root Cause Of Egypt Changed Into 'Protected State' In Status

Egypt—important joint of Africa and Asia—was always a land contested by some Great power because of its unique geopolitics and geo-economics. The relations of dependency and suzerain between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire became more complicated. Over the 19th century, British Strategies in the Near East was closely related with changes of situation in Egypt. Finally, a series of factors led Egypt to a protectorate. This thesis tries to analyze evolvement of politics in Egypt on the basis of its current state of domestic development and external situations. The thesis consists of two main parts:Firstly, to seek the internal reasons for colonization of Egypt based on the different stages of Egyptian social development. Modern history of Egypt could be divided into three stages: Age of Muhammad Ali's Autonomy; Post-Ali's Age and Age of England Seizure of Egypt. After a short period of independence which lasted thirty years, Egypt wasn't able to pass the fruits of modernization reformation to the next generation, but like most countries that were entangled into capitalist market, it fell into a situation in which regime was weakened and the economy system was disordered. During the Post-Ali's times, the fault of succession pushing reformation policy accelerated the lost of Egyptian economic independence and sovereignty. The England and France, the main interest groups, arranged a Egyptian government inquired by England and France, making Egypt fall into a "dependent Country". And this led Egypt to be more colonial. Meanwhile, the advantages of economic, crops production, the geographical position and the suzerain relationship with Ottoman Empire, these external factors more or less transformed Egypt into a 'protected state' .Secondly, to seek the inevitability and chanciness of the formation of Egypt as a protectorate given clues by the transformation of British strategy on Near East. During 1830s, the England fixed on its strategy on Near East: to maintain the integrity and independence of Ottoman Empire. Until sep. 1882, the Britain took possession of Egypt; this meant the transformation of British strategy on Near East. Egypt appeared as a 'pre-protectorate', but it maintained dependency-suzerain relationship with Ottoman Empire. The complete transformation came before World War I. At that time, the Britain proclaimed that Egypt was its 'protectorate'. The relations of British strategy on the Near East and Egypt would be dissertated according to two factors: 1,Inevitable factors: England played a role of global supremacy, was an advocator and promoter of world free-trade system and was increasingly concerned with strategically vital locations naturally in the international arena, so it is necessary to some extent for Egypt to be a colony. 2,Accidental factors: Many forces and benefits met together in the Near East in which Egypt was located. In the late 19th century, some accidental factors, such as the unbalance of power in Europe and turning of Germany foreign policy, turning of Turkish government of the Ottoman Empire to Germany of and supports from Germany for nationalists of Egypt, strengthened Egypt to be a protected state and abundance of British Strategy on Near East..