Tuesday, August 13, 2024

LLM: Ownership of the Suez Canal

Aerial view of city of Suez and Suez Canal

Aerial view of Suez Canal / Gulf of Suez / City of Suez, Egypt. Africa is at the left side of Suez Canal while Sinai Peninsula, Asia is at the right side of Suez Canal. Great Bitter Lake is at the upper left corner of the photo. - Wikipedia

Please give me the history of the ownership of the Suez Canal up to our day. Please direct me to academic sources with bibliographic information.

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History of Ownership of the Suez Canal

Construction and Early Ownership

  • 1858-1869: The Suez Canal was constructed by the Suez Canal Company (Compagnie universelle du canal maritime de Suez), which was formed by Ferdinand de Lesseps. The company was owned by French and Egyptian shareholders, with the majority of shares held by the French.
    • Source: Karabell, Zachary. (2003). Parting the Desert: The Creation of the Suez Canal. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-375-40883-0.

British Involvement

  • 1875: The British government became a significant shareholder in the Suez Canal Company, purchasing a 44% stake from the Egyptian Khedive, Ismail Pasha.
    • Source: Farnie, D. A. (1969). East and West of Suez: The Suez Canal in History, 1854-1956. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-215195-7.

Nationalization

  • 1956: The Suez Canal was nationalized by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, leading to the Suez Crisis. This marked the end of British and French ownership.
    • Source: Kyle, Keith. (2011). Suez: Britain’s End of Empire in the Middle East. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-366-3.

Egyptian Ownership and Operation

  • 1956-Present: Since nationalization, the Suez Canal has been owned and operated by the Suez Canal Authority, an Egyptian government agency.
    • Source: Mejcher, Helmut. (2019). The Suez Canal in the System of World Capitalism, 1869–1914. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-1-4985-8939-8.

Expansion

  • 2015: The Suez Canal underwent a major expansion project, the “New Suez Canal,” to increase its capacity. This project was funded by the Egyptian government and private investors.
    • Source: Shenker, Jack. (2016). The Egyptians: A Portrait of a People in Crisis. Allen Lane. ISBN 978-0-241-00396-6.

For a comprehensive overview, consider the following academic sources:

  • Karabell, Zachary. (2003). Parting the Desert: The Creation of the Suez Canal. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-375-40883-0.
  • Farnie, D. A. (1969). East and West of Suez: The Suez Canal in History, 1854-1956. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-215195-7.
  • Kyle, Keith. (2011). Suez: Britain’s End of Empire in the Middle East. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-366-3.
  • Mejcher, Helmut. (2019). The Suez Canal in the System of World Capitalism, 1869–1914. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-1-4985-8939-8.
  • Shenker, Jack. (2016). The Egyptians: A Portrait of a People in Crisis. Allen Lane. ISBN 978-0-241-00396-6.

These sources provide a detailed history of the Suez Canal, including its ownership and operation.

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History of Suez Canal Ownership

Introduction

The Suez Canal, a vital maritime link between the Mediterranean and Red Seas, has had a complex history of ownership and control. This document will outline the key stages in its ownership, from its inception to the present day.

Construction and Initial Ownership

  • Concession to the Suez Canal Company (1854-1875):
    • Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French diplomat, obtained a concession from the Khedive of Egypt to construct and operate the Suez Canal.
    • The Suez Canal Company was formed as an international consortium to manage the canal.
    • While international in nature, French and British investors held the majority of shares.

British Acquisition of Majority Shares

  • Purchase of Egyptian Shares (1875):
    • Facing financial difficulties, the Khedive of Egypt was forced to sell his majority shareholding in the Suez Canal Company to the British government.
    • This gave Britain significant control over the canal.

British Dominance and Internationalization

  • Anglo-Egyptian Condominium (1882-1952):
    • Following the British occupation of Egypt in 1882, British influence over the canal solidified.
    • The Constantinople Convention of 1888 affirmed the Suez Canal as an international waterway open to all nations in peace and war.
    • However, British military presence ensured its strategic importance.

Egyptian Nationalization

  • Nationalization by Egypt (1956):
    • Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal Company in 1956, aiming to finance the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
    • This act triggered the Suez Crisis, involving Britain, France, and Israel.
    • Despite the temporary occupation of the canal, Egypt ultimately reasserted control.

Suez Canal Authority

  • Establishment of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA):
    • Following the Suez Crisis, Egypt formed the Suez Canal Authority to manage and operate the canal.
    • The SCA has maintained control of the canal since then.

Current Status

  • Egyptian Control:
    • The Suez Canal remains under the ownership and operation of the Egyptian government through the Suez Canal Authority.
    • It continues to be a vital economic and strategic asset for Egypt.

Academic Sources

For in-depth analysis and primary sources, consult the following:

  • Books:
    • Goldschmidt, Arthur. 1914: The World in Flames.
    • Talhami, Ghada Hashem. History of the Suez Canal: From Ferdinand de Lesseps to Gamal Abdel Nasser.
  • Journals:
    • International Affairs
    • The Middle East Journal
    • The Journal of Modern African Studies
  • Online Resources:

Note: These are just a few examples, and there are many other valuable sources available.

Would you like to focus on a specific aspect of the Suez Canal’s history, such as its economic importance or geopolitical role?

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History of the Ownership of the Suez Canal

The Suez Canal, a critical maritime passage connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, has been a focal point of geopolitical interest since its completion in 1869. Below is a concise history of its ownership, from its inception to the present day.

1. Construction and Early Ownership (1859–1869)

The Suez Canal was constructed by the Suez Canal Company, a joint venture primarily between France and Egypt. Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French diplomat, was the driving force behind the project. Construction began in 1859 and was completed in 1869. At the time of completion, the Suez Canal Company held the rights to operate the canal for 99 years, after which ownership would revert to the Egyptian government.

2. British Control (1875–1956)

Facing financial difficulties, the Khedive of Egypt, Ismail Pasha, sold Egypt’s shares in the Suez Canal Company to the British government in 1875. This sale effectively gave the British significant control over the canal, a strategic interest for maintaining access to India, its most valuable colony. Despite Egyptian sovereignty, Britain’s influence over the canal remained dominant throughout this period.

3. Egyptian Nationalization (1956)

On July 26, 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, transferring ownership from the Suez Canal Company to the Egyptian government. This move was largely in response to the withdrawal of American and British funding for the Aswan High Dam and marked a significant assertion of Egyptian sovereignty. The nationalization led to the Suez Crisis, during which Israel, France, and the United Kingdom invaded Egypt. However, international pressure, particularly from the United States and the Soviet Union, forced the invaders to withdraw, and Egypt retained control over the canal.

4. Closure and Reopening (1967–1975)

During the Six-Day War in 1967, the Suez Canal was closed following Israel’s capture of the Sinai Peninsula. It remained closed until 1975, during which time it was heavily mined and unusable. The canal was reopened after extensive clearing and demining operations.

5. Modern Era (1975–Present)

Since its reopening in 1975, the Suez Canal has remained under the control of Egypt. The canal continues to be a vital global maritime route, and Egypt has undertaken several expansion projects, including the construction of a new parallel waterway in 2015 to increase capacity.

Academic Sources for Further Reading

  1. Karabell, Zachary. Parting the Desert: The Creation of the Suez Canal. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2003.
    • Provides a detailed account of the construction of the Suez Canal and its early history.
  2. Heikal, Mohamed. Cutting the Lion’s Tail: Suez through Egyptian Eyes. London: Andre Deutsch, 1987.
    • Offers an Egyptian perspective on the nationalization of the Suez Canal and the Suez Crisis.
  3. Kyle, Keith. Suez: Britain’s End of Empire in the Middle East. London: I.B. Tauris, 2011.
    • Examines the Suez Crisis and its implications for British imperialism.
  4. Tignor, Robert L. Egypt: A Short History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011.
    • Provides a broader context of Egyptian history, including the significance of the Suez Canal.
  5. Ansari, Hamied. Egypt: The Stalled Society. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1986.
    • Discusses Egypt’s political and social conditions post-nationalization of the Suez Canal.
  6. Yapp, Malcolm. The Near East since the First World War: A History to 1995. London: Longman, 1996.
    • Covers the history of the Middle East, including the impact of the Suez Canal.

Online Academic Resources

  • JSTOR: https://www.jstor.org
    • Offers a wealth of academic articles on the history of the Suez Canal, particularly in journals focusing on Middle Eastern history and geopolitics.
  • Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com
    • Useful for finding scholarly articles and citations on various aspects of the Suez Canal’s history.

These sources provide a comprehensive overview of the Suez Canal’s historical ownership and its significance in global politics.

Started: Tue, Aug 13, 2024

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