Calvin H. Allen - Oman: the Modernization of the Sultanate

ROUTLEDGE LIBRARY EDITIONS: THE GULF

Volume 14

OMAN

The Modernization of the Sultanate

Calvin H. Allen, JR.

First published in 1987 in Great Britain by Croom Helm Ltd.
First published in 1987 in the USA by Westview Press, Inc.

This edition first published in 2016
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

1987 Calvin H. Allen, Jr.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice : Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-138-11959-8 (Set)
ISBN: 978-1-315-64190-4 (Set) (ebk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-18302-5 (Volume 14) (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-64531-5 (Volume 14) (ebk)

Publisher's Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original copies may be apparent.

Disclaimer
The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders and would welcome correspondence from those they have been unable to trace.

OMAN

The Modernization of the Sultanate

Calvin H. Alien, Jr.

Profiles /Nations of the Contemporary Middle East

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Westview Press.

Copyright 1987 by Westview Press, Inc.

Published in 1987 in the United States of America by Westview Press, Inc.; Frederick A. Praeger, Publisher; 5500 Central Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80301

Published in 1987 in Great Britain by Croom Helm Ltd., Provident House, Burrell Row, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 1AT

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Alien, Calvin H., Jr.
Oman: the modernization of the sultanate.
(Profiles. Nations of the contemporary Middle East)
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Oman. I. Title. II. Series.
DS247.06A75 1986 953'.53 86-15806
ISBN 0-8133-0125-4 (alk. paper)

British library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Alien, Calvin H., Jr.
Oman: the modernization of the sultanate.
(Profiles: nations of the contemporary Middle East)
1. OmanHistory
I. Title II. Series
953'.53 DS247.065
ISBN 0-7099-5106-X

Printed and bound in the United States of America

The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed library Materials Z39.48-1984.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Oman, formerly known as Muscat and Oman, is one of the few places left in the world that still inspires interest because of its isolation and mystery. My own interest in Arabia and in Oman in particular began when I was a teenager in the early 1960s when stamps from obscure places like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Umm al-Qiwain, Ras al-Khaima, Qatar, and Muscat and Oman, depicting the bearded visages of Arab shaiks and beau geste forts began appearing in my collection. My interest piqued, I began searching for information on these people and places. I could find little, especially on Oman, which was still closed to almost all outsiders by Sultan Sa'id b. Taimur. By the late 1960s, however, Oman began to be the focus of scholarly interest: The pioneering works of Wendel Phillips, B. C. Busch, Robert Landen, and J. B. Kelly were published, and reprints of classics by S. B. Miles and P. Badger were issued. But contemporary Oman remained veiled.

After the palace coup of 1970 and the coming to power of Sultan Qaboos b. Sa'id, Oman began to emerge from the dark ages. The development programs of the early 1970s brought many foreigners to Oman, and for the first time conducting research within the country became possible. I was fortunate to be one of the first U.S. scholars to spend an extended time there; in 19761977, under the sponsorship of Sayyid Faisal b. Ali Al-Sa'id and the newly formed ministry of national heritage and with funding from the Fulbright program, I conducted research on nineteenth-century trade and politics in Muscat. I was able to return to Muscat for a short visit in March-April 1985, thanks to my friends Ranchordas and Vimal Purecha of Ratansi Purshottam Company and grants from the faculty development committee and professional travel fund of The School of the Ozarks. The National Endowment for the Humanities also provided me with money for research on early twentieth-century Oman at the India Office Library and Records in London.

Since 1970 Oman has been the subject of many scholarly books and articles covering various aspects of its history, society, economy, and politics. No single-volume general survey has yet been attempted, though. This book seeks to fill that void. Of necessity, I have drawn upon the works of many others, and to them I express a debt of gratitude. All of these works are described in the bibliographic essay at the end of the book.

I also wish to acknowledge the individual assistance of several teachers, colleagues, and friends who helped to make this book possible. These include my mentors at the University of Washington, Professors Jere Bacharach, Farhat Ziadeh, and Frank Conlon; my colleagues in the history department at The School of the Ozarks, Professors Jim Zabel and Steve Kneeshaw; the floor staff at the India Office for their efficient and courteous service during my two visits there; Mike Gibson of The School of the Ozarks Press for preparing the maps; Dr. Robert W. Stookey of the University of Texas at Austin; Dr. John Wilkinson of Oxford; my parents, Calvin H. and Helen M. Allen; my in-laws, Roger K. and Jeannette W. Strong; and my two sons, Matthew and Drew. Finally, I could never have written this book without the active support of my wife, Becky, who, during the past fifteen years, has managed domestic affairs, served as financier, secretary, sounding board, and morale booster, and performed a host of other tasks well beyond the call of duty. This book is dedicated to her.

Calvin H. Allen, Jr.

1. Transliteration of Arabic words and names has generally followed the system used by the Middle East Studies Association as described in the International Journal of Middle Eastern Studies.