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Precolonial elites and colonial redistribution of political power

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  • Spencer Hartnett, Allison
  • Saleh, Mohamed

Abstract

Studies of colonialism often associate indirect colonial rule with continuity of the precolonial institutions. Yet, we know less about how colonialism affected the distribution of power between precolonial domestic elites within nominally continuous institutions. We argue that colonial authorities will redistribute power toward elites that are the most congruent with the colonizer’s objectives. We test our theory on the British occupation of Egypt in 1882. Using an original dataset on members of the Egyptian parliament and a difference-in-differences empirical strategy, we show that the colonial authorities shifted parliamentary representation toward the (congruent) landed elite and away from the (oppositional) rural middle class. This shift was greater in cotton-producing provinces which were more exposed to colonial economic interest. Our results demonstrate that the colonial redistribution of power within precolonial institutions can re-engineer the socialstructural fabric of colonized societies.

Suggested Citation

  • Spencer Hartnett, Allison & Saleh, Mohamed, 2024. "Precolonial elites and colonial redistribution of political power," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125972, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
  • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:125972
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    JEL classification:

    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies
    • N45 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Asia including Middle East

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