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Egypt Ignited : How Steam Power Arrived on the Nile and Integrated Egypt into Industrial Capitalism (1820s-76)

Ahmed, Amr LU (2023)
Abstract
How did fossil-fuelled technology find its way to Egypt on its way to global dominance? This thesis presents a socioecological history of energy technologies in agrarian production in pre-colonial Egypt (1820s – 76). It situates them in the nineteenth century, understood as the beginning of the epoch of the Capitalocene; and in Egypt’s case, this is simultaneously part of the rise of Britain’s fossil empire. The thesis studies how the steam engine – and eventually the modern factory – was integrated into the Egyptian economy and society during this period, focusing on material aspects, as well as cultural dimensions. Several overlapping microhistories take the investigation to its conclusion in 1876 and bring the overarching research... (More)
How did fossil-fuelled technology find its way to Egypt on its way to global dominance? This thesis presents a socioecological history of energy technologies in agrarian production in pre-colonial Egypt (1820s – 76). It situates them in the nineteenth century, understood as the beginning of the epoch of the Capitalocene; and in Egypt’s case, this is simultaneously part of the rise of Britain’s fossil empire. The thesis studies how the steam engine – and eventually the modern factory – was integrated into the Egyptian economy and society during this period, focusing on material aspects, as well as cultural dimensions. Several overlapping microhistories take the investigation to its conclusion in 1876 and bring the overarching research question down to the ground of Egyptian life.

Historical analysis here identifies two phases for Egypt’s transition to steam technology in agrarian production. First, the predatory but frustrated empire-building project of Mohamed Ali that sought to compete with Britain, thwarted through the massive imbalance in coal endowments. Second, originating from this moment, the gradual growth of the dependency of Egypt on European fossil and financial capital, and its simultaneous integration into industrial capitalism. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Hur nådde fossildriven teknik Egypten på sin väg mot global dominans? Denna avhandling presenterar en socioekologisk historia av energiteknologier i förkoloniala Egyptens jordbruksproduktion (1820-talet-76). Den placerar dem i 1800-talet, början på Kapitalocenens epok; och i Egyptens fall är detta samtidigt en del av Storbritanniens fossila imperiums uppkomst. Denna avhandling behandlar hur ångmaskinen - och slutligen den moderna fabriken - integrerades i den egyptiska ekonomin och samhället under denna period, med fokus på materiella aspekter såväl som kulturella dimensioner. Flera överlappande mikrohistorier tar undersökningen till dess slutpunkt i 1876 och grundar den övergripande frågeställningen i det egyptiska livet.

Den... (More)
Hur nådde fossildriven teknik Egypten på sin väg mot global dominans? Denna avhandling presenterar en socioekologisk historia av energiteknologier i förkoloniala Egyptens jordbruksproduktion (1820-talet-76). Den placerar dem i 1800-talet, början på Kapitalocenens epok; och i Egyptens fall är detta samtidigt en del av Storbritanniens fossila imperiums uppkomst. Denna avhandling behandlar hur ångmaskinen - och slutligen den moderna fabriken - integrerades i den egyptiska ekonomin och samhället under denna period, med fokus på materiella aspekter såväl som kulturella dimensioner. Flera överlappande mikrohistorier tar undersökningen till dess slutpunkt i 1876 och grundar den övergripande frågeställningen i det egyptiska livet.

Den historiska analysen identifierar två faser i Egyptens övergång till ångteknik i jordbruksproduktionen. För det första, Mohamed Alis aggressiva men frustrerade imperiebyggande projekt som syftade till att konkurrera med Storbritannien, vilket motverkades av den massiva obalansen i oljetillgångarna. För det andra, Egyptens stigande beroende av europeiskt fossilt och finansiellt kapital, och dess samtidiga integration i industrikapitalismen. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professor Mitchell, Timothy, Columbia University
organization
alternative title
Egypten tänds : Hur ångkraften anlände till Nilen och integrerade Egypten i industrikapitalismen (1820-talet-1876).
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Energy history, history of technology, environmental history, steam power, capitalism, Industrial Revolution, Global warming, Egypt, modern history, agrarian production, biofuels, Sugar industry, cotton, Energihistoria, Teknikhistoria, Miljöhistoria, Ångmaskin, Kapitalism, Industriella revolutionen, global uppvärmning, Egypten, Modern historia, Jordbruksproduktion, biobränslen, Sockerindustrin, Bomull
pages
427 pages
publisher
Lund University
defense location
Världen, Geocentrum I, Sölvegatan 12, Lund
defense date
2023-11-17 13:00:00
ISBN
978-91-8039-852-7
978-91-8039-851-0
project
Early encounters with coal: Retrieving views from below
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1ff60778-b9d2-4f22-aa2c-f58e7003db2c
date added to LUP
2023-10-24 19:43:48
date last changed
2023-10-27 10:12:22
@phdthesis{1ff60778-b9d2-4f22-aa2c-f58e7003db2c,
  abstract     = {{How did fossil-fuelled technology find its way to Egypt on its way to global dominance? This thesis presents a socioecological history of energy technologies in agrarian production in pre-colonial Egypt (1820s – 76). It situates them in the nineteenth century, understood as the beginning of the epoch of the Capitalocene; and in Egypt’s case, this is simultaneously part of the rise of Britain’s fossil empire. The thesis studies how the steam engine – and eventually the modern factory – was integrated into the Egyptian economy and society during this period, focusing on material aspects, as well as cultural dimensions. Several overlapping microhistories take the investigation to its conclusion in 1876 and bring the overarching research question down to the ground of Egyptian life.<br/><br/>Historical analysis here identifies two phases for Egypt’s transition to steam technology in agrarian production. First, the predatory but frustrated empire-building project of Mohamed Ali that sought to compete with Britain, thwarted through the massive imbalance in coal endowments. Second, originating from this moment, the gradual growth of the dependency of Egypt on European fossil and financial capital, and its simultaneous integration into industrial capitalism.}},
  author       = {{Ahmed, Amr}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-8039-852-7}},
  keywords     = {{Energy history; history of technology; environmental history; steam power; capitalism; Industrial Revolution; Global warming; Egypt; modern history; agrarian production; biofuels; Sugar industry; cotton; Energihistoria; Teknikhistoria; Miljöhistoria; Ångmaskin; Kapitalism; Industriella revolutionen; global uppvärmning; Egypten; Modern historia; Jordbruksproduktion; biobränslen; Sockerindustrin; Bomull}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Lund University}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Egypt Ignited : How Steam Power Arrived on the Nile and Integrated Egypt into Industrial Capitalism (1820s-76)}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/162849629/Opponent_ex_Amr.pdf}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}