The Origins of the United Arab Emirates

The creation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971 ended a century and a half of the existence of the Trucial States in special treaty relations with Britain. This book, first published in 1978, describes the evolution of tribes and their rulers' authority over time, and the tribes' treaties with Britain as it sought to exercise imperial control over its trade routes. Analysing changes to society as well as the politics of the region, this book analyses the formation of the United Arab Emirates.

Rosemarie Said Zahlan

1. The Trucial States in 1919: Rule by Tradition 2. The Aftermath of War: Perpetuation of Control 3. The Challenge to Power: Brother, Nephew and Son 4. Maintenance of Power: Political and Social Fabric 5. Saudi Arabia and Iran: Outside Pressures 6. Establishment of the Air-Route: Test of Imperial Policy 7. The Preliminary Oil Concessions: Triumphant Enterprise 8. Territorial Claims: Saudi Arabia and Iran 9. Boundary Disputes: Chaos in Order 10. The Reform Movement of Dubai: The Beginnings of Democracy 11. The Exercise of Power: British Representatives 12. The Trucial States in 1939: The Dawn of a New Age 13. Epilogue: The Emergence of the United Arab Emirates