Tribesmen and the colonial encounter : southern Tunisia during the French Protectorate, 1882 to 1940
This thesis focuses on the region's tribes and the changes in their political economy brought about by the Imposition of the colonial state and the penetration of capitalism, the tribesmen are not seen as pawns in a structural transformation but as active participants in the development of their own society. During the Protectorate period a dual economy emerged, differentials of wealth Increased, and many tribesmen were reduced to the position of insecure wage labourers. These processes had their roots in the pre-Protectorate economy but were precipitated by droughts, a growing population, the region's deteriorating terms and balance of trade, colonisation, the state's dismemberment of collective land and its exploitation of the tribal economy through taxation. Despite the state's increasing Intervention and control of tribal affairs the tribesmen continued to regard the state as an alien institution and were slow to participate in the new politics of Nationalism. Similarly, although growing differentials of wealth within the tribes strengthened the tribal political elite it did not allow them to escape from the factional politics of the Pre-Protectorate period. The state prevented its administrators emerging
Fozzard, Adrian
History of Tunisia 1882-1940
Tribesmen and the colonial encounter : southern Tunisia during the French Protectorate, 1882 to 1940. This thesis focuses on the region's tribes and the changes in their political economy brought about by the Imposition of the colonial state and the penetration of capitalism, the tribesmen are not seen as pawns in a structural transformation but as active participants in the development of their own society. During the Protectorate period a dual economy emerged, differentials of wealth Increased, and many tribesmen were reduced to the position of insecure wage labourers. These processes had their roots in the pre-Protectorate economy but were precipitated by droughts, a growing population, the region's deteriorating terms and balance of trade, colonisation, the state's dismemberment of collective land and its exploitation of the tribal economy through taxation. Despite the state's increasing Intervention and control of tribal affairs the tribesmen continued to regard the state as an alien institution and were slow to participate in the new politics of Nationalism. Similarly, although growing differentials of wealth within the tribes strengthened the tribal political elite it did not allow them to escape from the factional politics of the Pre-Protectorate period. The state prevented its administrators emerging
colonial encounter southern french protectorate focus region tribe change political_economy bring imposition colonial_state penetration capitalism see structural transformation active_participant development society protectorate period dual economy emerge differential wealth increased many reduce position insecure wage labourer process root pre protectorate economy precipitate drought grow_population region deteriorate term balance trade colonisation state dismemberment collective land exploitation tribal economy taxation despite state increase intervention control tribal affair continue regard state alien institution slow participate new politics nationalism similarly although grow differential wealth within tribe strengthen tribal political_elite allow escape politics pre protectorate period state prevent administrator emerge