Land Possession System in Iraq: It's Political and Sociial Reflections 1914-1965 Modern - Economic Views and Analyses -

Abstract

Undoubtedly, the factors that affect the path of historical events interact among each other in a negative or positive way, shaping new patterns that contribute in creating new historical events. Thus, conflicts haven't been separate from the historical event for they affect it directly in order to achieve economical interests and material benefits. No matter what motivations are given to justify conflicts, there should be the economic motivation on top of them. That was the British administration's affair in occupying Iraq in 1914. For that and other reasons, the administration willed to expand and seize new lands in order to achieve those objectives. As a result they ( the British administration ) began to extort, oppress and impose taxes, targeting all the components of society in Iraq, especially, rural areas that led the administration to focus on specifying the possession of lands e.g. higher and lower ownerships in order to exploit and make benefits. The research discusses three pivots; the first one deals with the direct influence of the British policy on tribal leaders, and its reflections upon farmers, whereas the second pivot highlights the indirect effects of political powers on the problems of the land possession law. Finally, the third one discusses the law of agricultural reform (no. 30, in 1958 ) and its amendments according to historical perspectives and analyses contemporary with politicians and economists. The researcher concludes that the British administration listed some laws and abolished the laws made by the Ottomans as means, came in reality, to achieve its interests which led into escalating situations towards deterioration. Additionally, the research proves that the British administration targeted all the Iraqi society's components, by relating the evidence to their practice of oppression in imposing taxes and crippling the state's administrative, military and service institutions. Furthermore, it is revealed within the research that the tribal leaders were the beneficiary faction of the implemented laws as well as most of them being in feudality's favor.