A land with a people: The political economy of Jerusalem and Nablus in the nineteenth century

This thesis attempts to address some of the neglected areas in the historiography of Palestine for the 'long' nineteenth century. Through the study of Jerusalem and Nablus, and more specifically of the most important families of notables, the present work hopes to provide a clearer picture of crucial social, political, and economic developments in Palestine over the entire period.;In examining the most important notable families of Jerusalem and Nablus and their role in the economic development of Palestine, this thesis establishes a number of points regarding commonly held generalizations on or about Palestine in the nineteenth century. Firstly, certain of the so-called traditional political leaders of Palestine were in fact relatively new to positions of prominence. Secondly, the notables of Palestine continued to prosper in the changing administrative climate of the nineteenth century, while becoming the willing agents of Istanbul's policy of centralization. Lastly, the economy of Palestine was not moribund prior to the arrival of Zionist colonizers, nor was it ever totally incorporated into the world economy. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...