The old social classes and the revolutionary movements of Iraq: A study of Iraq's old landed and commercial classes and of its Communists, Bathists, ... Officers (Princeton studies on the Near East) [Hardcover]

Hanna Batatu (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1978 | Series: Princeton studies on the Near East

Now back in print, this classic work has assumed a new significance in light of Iraq's recent history. The late Hanna Batatu's landmark study of Iraq's social formation during the twentieth century is widely regarded as one of the most significant works of recent times dealing with Middle Eastern society and politics. Originally published in 1978, it is one of the very few comprehensive, primary source-based histories of any Arab country ever written. In the course of pursuing research in Iraq, Batatu happened to meet Abdul Karim Qassem who later went on to lead Iraq after the overthrow of the Hashemite monarchy in 1958. The prior friendship resulted in Batatu gaining access to otherwise secret state archives. Combined with extensive interviews and on-the-ground research, The Old Social Classes catapulted Iraq into a new light. At nearly 1,300 pages the work is dense with detail including large numbers of tables and raw data to illustrate his analytical points.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An indispensable foundation for any thoughts regarding the creation of a new Iraqi political order"--Christian Science Monitor

"Batatu's book is by far the best book written on the social and political history of modern Iraq."--Ahmad Dallal, Stanford University

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Hanna Batatu held two major teaching appointments: at the American University of Beirut (1962-81), and at Georgetown University (1982-94), where he was named Professor Emeritus upon retirement. He died in 2000.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1283 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691052417
• ISBN-13: 978-0691052410
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,579,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A weighty textbook for the serious student of our nation's burden, September 11, 2007

By 

Laura H. Diviney (Charlotte, NC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Old Social Classes & The Revolutionary Movement In Iraq (Paperback)

I first came across the title of this book in another `review' (of sorts) so compelling that I sought the book for my own. In Cullen Murphy's "Are We Rome?" [ ISBN 0-618-74222-0] there is a passage comparing the attitudes of ancient Roman generals and current American military leadership in wartime. (I now summarize and paraphrase:)

The Romans were renowned, evidently, for being arrogant, smug, complacent, ignorant, contemptuous of their enemies (always called `barbarians'), and utterly assured of victory no matter who their opponents were. Indeed, they were often successful, but sometimes they were crushingly defeated because they paid so little attention to the capabilities or characteristics of those arrayed against them. Murphy then fast-forwards to the newly-established Green Zone in Baghdad in the early days of America's conquest of Iraq (near the time of the "Mission Accomplished" speech.) An Arab translator sits in a cubicle studying a textbook. An American general comes in and asks what he's reading. "The bible" answers the Arab. "You don't read the Bible, you're a Muslim," the officer challenges. The man holds up his book: "The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movements of Iraq" by Hanna Batatu, which he considers absolutely essential to understand Iraq, its people, its conflicts, its likely responses to events going forward. The general reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a tatty paperback of a tourist's guide to Iraq and proclaims "Everything I need to know is in this."

The stunning connection between this American soldier and Quintilius Varus, the officer whose name is attached to one of the worst military fiascos in Roman history (Clades Variana - The Disaster of Varus) put pins and needles in my hands and neck. Because of that debacle, the nature of Europe was given part of its qualities. Our leaders may choose to nurture their ignorance, but I want to read the book the translator had.

The copy I obtained is a paperback 2004 reprint of the original published in the 1970s. It is enormous, dense, packed with facts, statistics, graphs, charts, lists, footnotes, some maps, and needing study with a highlighter rather than a simple read. The more I absorb of Batatu's opus the less fuzzy the lens through which I look at what our president calls our national "frustration." Today is September 11, 2007. General Petraeus speaks to Congress with reassurance that though things are bad in Baghdad they are improving in the edges of the provinces. Last night Batatu's details revealed the enduring strength of the smaller communities held at arms' length from the capital city (nicknamed "the devourer of men".) Batatu's words can take scrutiny, which is more than I can say for the policy papers our government is presently using for reference.

I give the book four stars - the same as Petraeus wears on his uniform.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An journey into complexity, March 16, 2007

By 

Empirical One (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Old Social Classes & The Revolutionary Movement In Iraq (Paperback)

Hannah Batatu taught me at Georgetown 20 years ago. He was an interesting, personally often charming man with a rather dry empirical Marxist view of things. The title of his book reflects this element of materialist focus.

I have not looked into this book for some time. It is exhaustive and from memory there is a "lack of woods for the trees" element to it. At times one is given too much detail about exactly what class of peasant someone's father was.

Nonetheless, the key point I took away from it is that Iraq is a "country" full of complexity and tension. That is a simple lesson which someone who, for example, might want to invade the country would have done well to heed.

If nothing else, this books teaches us the value of history in unearthing complexity. If we try and paper over that complexity, or ignore it, reducing it to elements of "good" and "bad" things often turn very ugly indeed.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Social Scientist, May 2, 2009

By 

Sami G. Banarji "Abu Eba" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movements of Iraq (Princeton Studies on the Near East) (Paperback)

It is a great book. I was fortunate to get it at one third of its price. The Condition of the book is very satisfactory. I was aware before the purchase that certain items had been highlighted which happened to be a plus in my case. It took a bit longer than useal to receive the book as I usually get all books purchased within a time frame of five to ten days. This one took about twenty days. I am totally satisfied with the purchase just as I have been in all my prior purchases. Thank you for making it happen at such a reasonable price.

Dr. Banarji