With the beginning of World War I, Britain place Egypt under it’s direct control with the purpose of protecting the country during the war. Egypt prior to World War I was legally park of the Ottoman Empire while Britain maintained a presence in the country the late 19th century. England imposed control over local trade, and attempted to reform the local cotton trade. This was met with initial contempt, followed by resistance from members of the Egyptian population, and government officials.
The tension culminated in spring of 1919 with the arrest and deportation of Sacd Zaghul lead to protests, and strikes throughout the country. Zaghul and other leaders had attempted to attend the peace accords on behalf of the Egyptian people. Egyptian loyalists, and those fearing food shortages …show more content…
The British attempted to maintain control of the country and protecting the Suez Canal, while the Wafd Party also attempted to expand and gain ground. Finally, the King also struggled to maintain influence in the country while attempted to appease his British Governor. All of these movements were founded on European principles, with European doctrine that lacked goals focused on true social change. Gelvin writes, “…the nationalist movements failed to encompass or even control the totality of the Egyptian public sphere.” (Page 207)
The most important factor in nationalism can be traced to the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood. The brotherhood was founded in 1928. The Brotherhood’s leader was a schoolteacher by trade named Hassan Al-Bannan. The Brotherhood unified the people of Egypt under a national identity through traditional Arab values, Islam, and charity work while encompassing modernity. Their movement contained doctrine that rejected western culture as detrimental to Egyptian