From “E” to “K”: The Development of the Mandate System and Britain’s Influence over Iraq

Abstract

The Mandate system that developed in the aftermath of the Great War fundamentally changed the way that European powers governed the Middle East and particularly the remnants of the Ottoman Empire. The “new Imperialism” that was established through the Mandates balanced tradition with Wilsonian Liberalism such that states, including Britain, were able to more effectively manage their overseas empires, particularly when compared with other governance options. This paper analyzes the development of the Mandate system in the Middle East and how it was ultimately the best option for Britain as it began its governance of Iraq in the early 1920s.