Egypt: Then and Now

Egypt: Then and Now
The British and French colonization of the Middle East after World War I was definitely not the first time the region had come under foreign occupation. Nonetheless, Western imperialist rule over the Arab territories stood to be a significant physical [and mental] presence unfamiliar to the natives. Much different than past empires or dynasties, the British and French worked cooperatively, under the Sykes-Picot Agreement, in a mandate selection process with the posed objective of prepping the mandates for subsequent independence. Many years later, the colonial-constructed Arab state system is at a present downfall; known today as the Arab Spring. Empirical evidence suggests the architects to have had a major hand in the system’s malfunctioning, a detriment reminiscent of prior exploits. As adherents to the Western capitalist system, opening up economies to trade liberalization is an essential ingredient to the systems success. Traditionally, it provides dominant countries with the opportunity to orchestrate favorable transactions at the