TITLE:
The British Economic Interests in Mesopotamia 1914-1918: A Study of Securing Oil, Trade, and Commercial Path
AUTHORS:
Ali Mohammed Qader Mahmada
KEYWORDS:
Ottoman Empire, Mesopotamia, British, Great War, Oil Reserves, Trade, Commercial Path
JOURNAL NAME:
Modern Economy,
Vol.15 No.3,
March
20,
2024
ABSTRACT: This paper explores the relationship between British economic interests,
oil exploration, commerce, and imperial policy in Mesopotamia from 1914 to
1918. It focuses on the reasons behind British involvement, strategies used to
achieve economic dominance, and the
repercussions on the region’s economic
and political landscape. The study uses a historical analysis approach,
examining key events like the Mesopotamia campaign, the Gallipoli campaign, and
the Sykes-Picot Agreement. The British government’s interest in Mesopotamia was primarily driven by economic
considerations, particularly the discovery of oil in Abadan. The British
government sought to secure commercial areas like the Persian Gulf and the
Mediterranean Sea to protect its oil interests and maintain control over trade
routes. The paper also highlights the contentious debates between Great Britain
and France regarding the division of the
Near East for economic ambitions, culminating in the Sykes-Picot
Agreement of 1916. The paper underscores the complex relationship between British economic interests, imperial strategy, and
the emergence of the oil industry in Mesopotamia, emphasizing its enduring
impact on the region’s economic,
social, and political development.