An Empire of Influence? British Relations with the United Arab Emirates in the 1970s
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11944082 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Simon C Smith (0000-0001-8798-3457, University of Hull, Hull, UK, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 4-5 |
| Pages | 657-686 |
| Publication date | 2024-04-26 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of Imperial & Commonwealth History (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0308-6534 • E-ISSN: 1743-9329 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/03086534.2024.2345466 |
| OpenAlex | W4395675804 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 29 |
As historical debate has moved from an analysis of the end of empire to its aftermath and consequences, there has been growing emphasis on the retention by the colonial powers of a large measure of influence over their former dependencies. With respect to the British experience, some historians have even suggested that the demission of empire amounted to a shift from formal to informal empire, using the term 'imperialism of decolonization' to encapsulate this concept. Given the maintenance of British economic and military ties with the fledgling United Arab Emirates which emerged from the small Sheikhdoms of the Lower Gulf in 1971, the UAE provides an illuminating case study to test interpretations that suggest Britain preserved a degree of influence amounting to the perpetuation of empire. Despite the preservation of such ties, the example provided by the UAE indicates that in the aftermath of formal British withdrawal from the Gulf at the end of 1971, Britain's political, economic, and military position was eroded by the encroachment of other powers, both regional and international. Equally, an analysis of the United Arab Emirates casts doubt on whether British decision-makers actually sought to establish an informal imperial relationship with the Gulf States after 1971, preferring instead to establish recognisably post-imperial relations which respected their independence. Consequently, the 'imperialism of decolonization' paradigm is not an appropriate one to apply to British policy towards, and relations with, the UAE
Ancient history · Empire · Political science · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · History · Islamic Studies and History · Middle East and Rwanda Conflicts
The Arab Oil Weapon
Without Glory in Arabia
Security in the Gulf
Britain and the Formation of the Gulf States
British Policy in the Persian Gulf, 1961–1968
Britain's Revival and Fall in the Gulf
The Crystallisation of a Complex Territorial Dispute
Buraimi
Military Assistance as Political Gimmickry? The Case of Britain and the Newly Federated United Arab Emirates after 1971
Anglo-American Rivalry in the Middle East
The imperialism of decolonization
Economic Protectorate in Britain’s Informal Empire
The British Withdrawal from the Gulf, 1967-71
The end of empire in the Gulf
Persian Gulf coups misrepresented
The Dead Hand of the Treasury
Cento
The Ends of British Imperialism
Diplomacy in the Middle East
British Policy in Aden and the Protectorates, 1955-67
British decolonization since 1945
Islands and International Politics in the Persian Gulf
The Arabian Frontier of the British Raj
The Empire Project
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |