PRINCIPLES OF TAXATION. H7 



Such, then, was the life that the fellah " lived in the days of 

 the oppression " ; not in the dim twilight of the past, but less than 

 twenty years ago ; not in remotely hidden corners of Egypt, but 

 throughout its entire length and breadth. 



In 1879 the exactions in Egypt, nominally for revenue, had be- 

 come so oppressive, that the population refused to pay them, and, 

 rising in revolt, drove Ismail Pasha from power and installed his 

 son, Mohammed Tewfik, in his place. The new pasha found the 

 finances of the country in such confusion, that he was obliged to 

 invoke the aid of European Governments in order to obtain the 

 means necessary to pay the interest on the public debt ; and in 

 this way the British and French Governments, as representing a 

 large majority of the creditors, or holders of the debt, were prac- 

 tically given control of all the Egyptian sources of revenue. This 

 condition of affairs was, however, in turn so repugnant to the peo- 

 ple that in the spring of 1882 a revolt broke out, headed by Arabi 

 Pasha, the then Minister of War, which, with a popular cry of 

 " Egypt for Egyptians ! " seemed for a time likely to be success- 

 ful. But with the utter defeat of Arabi at the battle of Tel-el- 

 Kebir, in September, 1882, the rebellion collapsed ; Tewfik Pasha 

 was restored to power, while the British forces, for the pur- 

 pose mainly of maintaining the situation and insuring peace, 

 practically retained possession of the country. It was under 

 such circumstances that a reconstruction of the antiquated, 

 arbitrary, and unequal Egyptian system of collecting revenue 

 was entered upon as an immediate and imperative necessity 

 for the establishment of a new and better national fiscal policy, 

 and the attainment thereby of some degree of national pros- 

 perity.* 



The career of Ismail Pasha, who as Khedive ruled over Egypt 

 from 1863 to 1879, was a remarkable one. He was " as fine a type 

 of the spendthrift as can well be found, whether in history or fic- 

 tion. No equally reckless prodigal ever possessed equally unlim- 

 ited control of equally vast resources. He came to the throne at 

 a moment when there seemed to be no limit to the potential wealth 

 of Egypt. The whole land was his to do what he liked with it. 

 All the world was ready to lend money to develop it." The 

 results of his government may be rightfully characterized from 



* Notwithstanding the adverse criticism that has been made on the action and policy of 

 Great Britain, under the then existing circumstances, subsequent experience has proved 

 that it saved Egypt from barbarism and anarchy, and all the nations interested in that 

 country u from incalculable losses in blood and treasure, to say nothing of the deep dis- 

 honor which these losses, foreseen and yet unhindered, would have brought on civilized 

 mankind. The Arabist movement possessed great destructive force, but it had not within 

 itself the elements necessary for the construction of anything enduring." (England in 

 Egypt, Sir Alfred Miner.) 



