From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates : a society in transition / Frauke Heard-Bey.

Previous edition: 1982.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 503-517) and index.

Introduction -- Chapter One: Geographical Conditions -- 1 The changing importance of immutable geographical factors -- 2 Ecology: Some implications of the UAE's geographical setting -- Oil -- A country of the "Middle East" -- Geographical features of the country -- General -- The mountains -- The desert -- The sea -- 3 The main geographical features of the individual emirates -- Abu Dhabi -- Dubai -- Sharjah -- The northern States and the east coast -- Chapter Two: The Tribal Structure of Society -- 1 The basis of the tribal organisation of the population in Eastern Arabia -- Ageless characteristics and changing conditions -- The major migrations -- The secondary dispersal -- The link between the tribal structure and the limited economic opportunities: the "versatile tribesman" -- 2 The Bani Yäs, their associates, and the development of Abu Dhabi into a "territorial state" -- The tribes of Abu Dhabi -- Bani Yas -- Manashir -- Dhawahir -- Nomadic tribes who frequent Abu Dhabi territory: 'Awamir, 'Afär, Manahil, Rashid, Al Murrah -- Expansion of Bani Yas Territory -- Longstanding possession of Dhafrah and the Liwä -- Cases -- Increasing presence on the coast -- Sharing the area with other tribes -- The foothold in the Buraimi area develops into the town of al 'Ain -- Conclusions -- 3 The tribes on the fringe of the Trucial Coast -- Their role vis-à-vis the coastal shaikhdoms -- Na'im -- Al Bü Shamis -- Balüsh -- Bani Kitab and Bani Ka'ab -- A new aspect of the old question of allegiance -- 4 The multi-tribal Qasimi Empire -- General appraisal -- The tribes of the northern area -- East -- Al 'Ali -- Za'ab -- Tanaij -- Naqbiyin -- Ghafalah -- Other tribes -- Shihūh and Dhahūriyīn -- Chapter Three: Administering a Tribal Society -- 1 The "decentralisation" of the administration in the wāli system of tribal shaikhdoms -- General -- The Qasimi Empire -- Rise and disintegration -- Ra's al Khaimah as a wõli's seat and as an independent Trucial State -- Ra's al Khaimah's dependencies -- Dibah -- Shamailīyah Kalba -- Shamailīyah-Fujairah -- Dad -- Hamrīyah, Towel and Hirah -- 2 Other means of exercising authority -- 3 Abu Dhabi a tribal confederation's means to absorb change -- The setting -- The Ruler's representatives -- Daphrah -- Rates -- Jabal al Dhannah -- Dās Island -- Buraimi Oasis -- In Dalma -- 4 Manifestations of administrative sovereignty—with an emphasis on examples from Abu Dhabi -- Taxation -- Customs duties -- Reservation of rights -- Subsidies and other manifestations of authority -- Jurisdiction -- 5 Conclusion -- Chapter Four: The Islamic Basis of Society -- 1 The Islamisation of the area -- Religions in the area before Islam -- Accepting Islam -- 2 Influence of the Ibadis' struggles against the Caliphate -- 3 The religious communities in Trucial Oman at the turn of the twentieth century -- Muslims and other communities -- The unifying force of Islam in this society -- 4 The Muslim system of life on this coast during the first half of the twentieth century -- In and around the mosques -- The mosque -- Religious theory and practice -- "Superstitions" -- Art in religion -- Burials -- Pilgrimage (Hajj) -- Conclusion -- Religion and family life -- The Harim -- Marriage and divorce -- Polygamy -- The social role of women -- Men's social rating -- Other members of the household, servants and slaves -- Local Muslims at home -- Education -- Within the family -- Formal education -- The role of Shari'ah -- Shari'ah as a guide for the local Muslim's way of life -- Shari'ah as a source of law for formal jurisdiction -- Zakah -- 5 Conclusion: the tribal system of the Trucial States and Islam -- Chapter Five: The Traditional Economics -- 1 General -- 2 Husbandry in the Trucial States -- 3 Hunting, fishing, collecting -- Wildlife and hunting -- Fishing -- Collecting guano -- 4 Agriculture -- Date cultivation -- Gardens irrigated by aflāj -- Desert gardens -- 5 Pearling -- Economic importance -- The oyster -- Pearl banks -- The dive -- Pearling by foreigners -- 6 Trade -- Trade in pearls -- General trade -- 7 Manufacturing -- General -- Boat building -- Pottery -- Metal-work -- Woodwork -- Weaving -- Camel-trimmings -- Fuel -- 8 Conclusion -- Chapter Six: The Social Aspects of the Traditional Economy -- 1 The changing occupational and social pattern of Abu Dhabi's tribesmen -- The traditional economic basis: desert and sea -- Occupational specialisation in Abu Dhabi -- The impact of the pearl boom -- Changing population pattern of Abu Dhabi town -- Entrepreneurs in the Abu Dhabi pearling industry -- The effect of the decline of the pearling industry on the desert tribesmen -- Alternative sources of income after the Second World War -- 2 The pearling communities in the other Trucial States -- The economic structure: interdependence and debts -- Absconding debtors -- Position of British subjects in disputes over debts -- The status of immigrants -- The divers' court -- Members of ruling families interfering in the pearling industry -- Effects of the declining demand for pearls -- Search for alternative markets for pearls -- 3 Socio-economic status of the settled population in the oases -- Who owns the land? -- Social stratification in villages -- Trade in real estate -- Establishing new gardens -- Summary -- 4 Side effects of the economic stress -- The limitations of resources and economic opportunities -- Factors leading to raids and maritime ghazū -- Resurgence of raiding -- Trading in slaves -- 5 The role of women in the economy -- 6 Conclusion: uniformity of life-style due to economic limitations -- Chapter Seven: The Development of a City State on the Coast—Example Dubai -- 1 Dubai before the 1950s -- Introduction -- Early history -- Developing into a focal point for trade and pearling -- Immigration of Arab merchants from the Persian coast -- Bringing a new feature to the town: the windtower house -- Sketch of the town before work on the creek began -- The town and the people -- Collection of customs duties -- The Second World War and its aftermath -- Domestic slaves -- Some wind of change -- The roots of discontent -- 2 The Reform Movement -- The new Majlis -- The consequences of the existence of the Majlis -- 3 Development of a modern infrastructure in Dubai -- First step: improving the creek -- Improving the town -- Land management -- The harbour project leading to large scale industrialisation -- 4 Development of community services -- Background -- Medical facilities -- Education -- Police force -- 5 Analysis of the achievements -- Chapter Eight: The External Influences -- 1 Before the 19th century -- The Portuguese on the Arab coasts -- The Qawasim -- The polarization of Eastern Arabian tribes into Hinawi and Ghafiri factions -- The Civil War in Oman -- Enumeration of Ghafiri and Hinawi tribes of the area later called "Trucial Oman" -- Wahhabi influence on the area -- 2 Qawāsim, Oman and Great Britain at the beginning of the 19th century -- Early English trade interests in the Gulf -- Qawāsim clashes with English shipping -- Decline of Qasimi trade -- The memory of the Portuguese conquests -- Qawāsim resentment of British-Muscati rapprochement -- The implications of the 1820 treaty -- The objectives of the British authorities -- Impact of the Treaty on the relationships between Arab Rulers -- Practicalities of peace keeping -- Culmination of the maritime peace policy in 1853 -- 3 Growing British military and political involvement -- Anti-slavery treaties -- The littoral shaikhdoms under British eyes -- British-inspired agreement concerning absconding debtors -- Intervention in internal matters -- 4 Political benefits of the British influence -- 5 British anticipation of economic benefits -- Move to exclude non-British economic interests -- Negotiations between Petroleum Concessions Ltd and Trucial States Rulers -- The use of other facilities -- Territorial sovereignty during early oil exploration -- 6 The Buraimi issue up to 1955 -- 7 British involvement in the 1950s and 1960s -- A change in attitude -- Growing financial commitments of the oil companies -- The political representation -- Making the countryside secure -- Foreign jurisdiction -- The framework -- The courts -- Persons under this jurisdiction -- Matters under this jurisdiction; adapted and new legislation -- The effects -- The Development Office -- General -- Health services -- Agriculture -- Surveys -- Roads -- Education -- Analysis of British development efforts -- Chapter Nine: The Formation of the Federation -- 1 British withdrawal -- The Labour Government's economic measures -- The technicalities of withdrawal -- The Bahrain predicament -- Speculation that the Conservatives might reverse policy -- 2 Local response to the new situation -- Early stages in co-operation -- The first federation meeting -- 3 The three-year construction period -- Discovering the realities of federal life -- The advisers take stock -- Three meetings of the Supreme Council of Rulers -- A period for clarifying bilateral relations -- The federation in suspension -- A comprehensive agreement—never signed -- Preparing for the possibility of withdrawal from the federation -- Half-hearted revival of the federation of nine emirates -- The June 1970 meeting of Deputy Rulers -- A new British Government—will it withdraw or not? -- The thorny issue of representation in the Union Council -- Attempts at mediation -- Omani participation in the federation? -- The last resort -- Saudi-Kuwaiti mediation efforts -- The Conservative Government moves -- Bahrain and Qatar opt out while Abu Dhabi prepares for the worst -- 4 Agreement to establish the UAE -- The UAE agreed upon -- Making it workable -- The issue of the islands -- The UAE proclaimed -- Ra's al Khaimah last but not least -- 5 The Constitution of the UAE -- A constitution made for the nine Gulf emirates -- Centralistic and federalistic elements -- The division of powers—legislative, executive and judicial -- 6 The provisional constitution remains -- Chapter Ten: The UAE in the Third Decade of its Existence -- 1 Policy formulation and reaction to external developments -- Strategic use of foreign policy -- Neighbours at war: 1980–1988 -- The GCC—a new identity -- The Kuwait Crisis and after -- The immediate neighbourhood in a new light -- 2 Progress in the domestic affairs of the federal state -- The economic base -- A country shared with others -- Higher education—investment in human resources -- Constitutional crises of the 1970s, closing ranks in the 1980s -- "My home is my castle" -- Legislation and jurisdiction -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Appendix -- Glossary -- Index of Tribal Names – Index.

The Trucial States had little to offer the outside world prior to the discovery of oil in 1960. Few people cared to face the hardships involved in travel to their shores, and the Trucial States were largely ignored by a world that did not need them. In 1971 these seven shaikhdoms at the southern end of the Gulf formed the state of the United Arab Emirates, which soon found it's feet on the world stage as a member of the UN, the Arab League, OPEC and other organisations. In the wake of the October War of 1973 and the manifold increase in the price of oil this newly wealthy state found itself wooed by rich and poor countries alike. Throughout the UAE, in the capital cities, the oases and the desert, everyone benefits from the newfound wealth. It means hospitals and schools for all, electricity and running water, new houses and modern communications; it also means afforestation in the desert and lush gardens in the oases and towns. The traditional institutions, and above all, Islam, have formed the foundation stone of the modern state, enabling it to withstand the stresses associated with intercourse with alien societies and with the transformation within it's own society brought by the influx of foreigners. However, the wealth derived from oil is transitory. One day that industry will decline as did the great pearling industry before it: what, then, will the future hold for the United Arab Emirates?