Introduction
Background of the Study
Suez Canal is a waterway connector between the Red sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Napoleon Bonaparte initiated the idea to construct the artificial canal in 1789. Its sole idea of Napoleon was to enhance trade advantage for the French colonial system over other European colonial masters like Britain. The initial idea did not materialize because of the perception provided by the project surveyors, which postulated that the sea levels of the Red sea and the Mediterranean Sea would flood the Nile Delta in Egypt (INTLREG Admin, 2019). The project officially began in 1859 after a consensus between Ferdinand de Lesseps and Mohammad Saeed. The former was the French consul in Egypt, and the latter was the then Egypt ruler. The project took ten years, with its inauguration in November 1869 (Roxburgh, 2022). Suez Canal is one of the major global marine infrastructures that brought a significant breakthrough in international trade, which is effective until today.
The French initially had the dominant control of the construction and operational services of the Suez Canal throughout the ten years of its establishment. However, in 1888 a convention comprising other international systems such as Britain, Israel, the Soviet Union, and other major global ruling systems formulated a common understanding that transformed the Suez Canal into an international status to maintain peace and promote trade across Europe and other parts of the world joined by the Mediterranean and the Red seas (Irvine, 2021). The canal was a significant trade breakthrough in the first and second industrial revolutions.
Significance of the Study
The study provides trends in global trade that cover the 19th century, 20th century, and the current status to provide the development initiatives that the world has achieved in the form of working together by the guidance of treaties. The study provides an extension of the literature for further analysis as it gives the nexus between history and its influence on trade, which is the world’s economic development.
Thesis Statement
The construction of the Suez Canal was a significant historical development that integrated trade in the 19th and 20th centuries, with its effect propagating to behavioral changes in society alongside human expression and ethical attachments that posits an impact on the current and future trends of international trade as reflected in the shipping system between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Analysis
Human Behavior
The construction of the Suez Canal project ignited various human behavior that coincided with the event of war, anger from the forced labor system applied by the contractors, grief from the loss of lives that emanated from cholera attacks, and socioeconomic influence that the canal ignited in the form of trade and the control system of the toll by the Egyptian and other colonial governments that hold shares in the project. At the begging of the construction process in 1859, the construction company governing the project prioritized using forced labor, comprised of Egyptian captives. However, the forced labor system collapsed in 1864 due to opposition ignited by Ismail Pasha, the then-Egyptian ruler (Carminati, 2020). The working environment had unfavorable conditions, which led to the emergence of cholera and other breathing system diseases that affected both the locals and the foreigners on site.
The invention of this noble marine project ignited a war between the French, Israel, Soviet Union, and Britain as the quest for dominance in the control system took its toll position. However, a consensus to apply the United Nations security system as a watchdog brought peace and restored the canal’s operations in 1956 (Carminati, 2020). The then Egyptian leader, Gamal Nasser, provided a supreme control that saw colonial governments retreat and adhere to the set peace treaties that would later provide a peaceful co-existence along the canal from various operators of different origins. The canal ignited international trade and contributed significant fortunes to the Egyptian government of nearly $5 million annually in the current year (Carminati, 2020). However, the accountability of the generated revenue could be more transparent as the systems involved extend repatriation to other operating bodies along the Suez Canal. The canal provided an opportunity for interaction between different races, cultures, and people of varying economic status, which later in the 20th century began the intermarriage trend and elevated the trade of goods and services globally.
Human Expression
The establishment of the Suez Canal was a process that evoked mixed human expressions that brought fear and joy in different measures. The construction process also portrayed the applicability of technology as exhibited by the rampant use of machinery that dominated from 1864 after the abolishment of forced labor. The application of machinery created relief as it replaced human labor affected by waterborne diseases. Initially, fear struck the construction site due to the increased death rate through cholera infection (Tsiamis et al., 2022). The French consul applied over-exploitative tactics that would result in long working hours in unfavorable conditions as opposed to the required protective measures of any working environment.
The use of machinery as a replacement for human labor became a breakthrough in the construction process, leading to its completion in 1869. Machines came across European countries as they joined forces to construct the historic marine way that promoted global trade. Human labor adapted to machines, which has extended to the current situation in the canal operating system as depicted by the risks and liabilities of various machine controls. A comparative analysis of the initial machine applicability and the current systems at the canal posits that machine failures occasionally occur, altering the normalcy of the operations along the canal. For instance, a collision occurred in 2018, which stopped operations, affecting global trade for several weeks as the shipping system stalled (Lee & Wong, 2021). The canal requires a consistent mechanization process that would enable efficient and effective operations to boost global trade and maintain consistency in the flow of shipping systems between the Red sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
Ethics
Special ethical issues arose during the construction process of the canal, with a significant crisis that saw America and Britain joining forces to subvert the project. In 1956, the Egyptian government initiated a project to construct the Aswan dam that would generate electricity and ignite the operations in the canal and other parts of Egypt. However, the formulations involved an operation between the communists and the Soviet Union (Carminati, 2020). The proceeding events did not entice the Americans; therefore, they formed a memorandum of understanding with Britain and the French to abort financial support for the construction of the Aswan dam and further extensions of the Suez Canal. Even though the canal was to promote global trade, the Americans, French, and Britain would not tolerate the communist and Soviet Union dominance, which escalated the conflict of interest in the operations and control of the canal.
Unethical issues related to poor working conditions propagated the death rates of workers. The Suez company that was in charge of the construction process did not provide safety measures to workers. Slavery had no rights to protect lives; therefore, the company could not spend fortunes on human health as required by labor laws for international and domestic labor acts. The Suez Crisis installed a war as Britain, France, and Israel joined military forces to fight Egypt. The war negatively impacted the operations along the canal. However, the Americans negotiated a peace treaty in 1979, which ensured the resumption of normal operations along the canal to promote its primary objective of international trade.
Critical Analysis of the Situation
The invention of the Suez Canal significantly changed global trade by creating an efficient logistic system linking Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The channel has conducted approximately 10% of international trade (Hafez & Madney, 2020). Suez Canal has held the future of global trade since its inauguration in 1869, with Egypt becoming the African country having the capacity to hold the most significant trading hub in that continent. The construction process provided various lessons, such as the unity of purpose that can promote development and peace globally. The combination of the French, Britain, America, Africa, Israel, and the Middle East provided a foundation that led to the emergence of a historic canal linking continents for trade. A control body such as the United Nations played a crucial role in maintaining peace and ensuring that the project operations and controls were in line with the conventional treaties that maintained the progress of the Suez Canal from the 19th century until now.
The United Nations’ guidance enables efficient logistic and foreign investment systems operations. Many changes can occur in the current situations for a building process, unlike the past cases in which workers’ rights had been neglected, and slavery was the norm for labor. The application of machinery can also change due to the current advanced technology systems that have reigned construction sites globally. Using the current construction machines would realize a quick project completion, unlike the case where it initially took ten years. The expansion of the Suez Canal to accommodate several ships moving in the same direction is viable through the use of the current technology and vast knowledge in science that will consider the management of the sea levels to avoid catastrophic events of floods.
Global trade is the baseline for global development. Therefore, the invention of the Suez Canal and its impact on society is a continuous topic that remains relevant for researchers to explore. Some exciting areas of research would be to determine the nexus of logistics systems supported by the Suez Canal to the current business trends in Africa and how this canal can expand Africa as a regional market for global trade. The invention of the Suez Canal provided various future applications, such as marine technology and logistics systems, as connected by international laws for trade. The variations in development status for the case of Europe as compared to other linked parts of the canal, such as Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, can provide an understanding of the practical applicability of the canal to boost domestic development in these developing regions.
Recommendations
Suez Canal promoted trade between Europe, Africa, Asia, and the rest of the world. The canal is the connector of the Red sea and the Mediterranean Sea, major waterways for shipments globally. The invention process of the canal is a continuous process that requires further expansion of the system and maintenance schedule to ensure that the logistics systems are efficient and effective. The management system should enable the UN to apply the set laws for security. The trade along the canal should be of mutual benefit for both parties involved, unlike the 20th century, when the French and Britain acquired dominance and would apply slavery methods towards the Egyptians and other regions of low economic power to control the canal.
Technology controls the current global trade. The invention of current technology should be applied to renovating the infrastructure along the Suez Canal. The applied logistic systems managing the ships should be of current standards to enable an efficient movement of goods and services across the continents. The applied ships should also have the required locomotive capacity to avoid delays and other results, such as emissions from the combustion. The old ships applied burning coal that emitted greenhouse gases and other effluents into the water, causing air and water pollution. Other construction activities should adhere to human health conditions that preserve and protect the lives of laborers to enable them to deliver adequately at the sites. Human health is an indicator of productive human capital; therefore, it is paramount for every company, including the Suez Canal company, to ensure that all employees are viable for health insurance.
In addition, the countries bordered by the Suez Canal, like Egypt and part of the Middle East, should have the strategic advantage of operation and maintenance of the logistic systems. The urge to maintain a consistent flow of revenues should favor these countries to avoid unnecessary conflicts with outside parties such as America and Europe, which already dominates global trade. Suez Canal has ignited political trends that connect the colonial and nationalist systems, with intentions of dominance being a source of conflict on various occasions. Political conflicts, if not managed appropriately, can result in the termination of operations like the case of 1967-1979 conflicts between the Egypt government and other interested parties, which resulted in a retarded operating system along the canal. The imminent canal management by countries that border the system will enable a long-term peace existence that provides smooth trade control for both parties involved globally.
Conclusion
The construction of the Suez Canal has imposed significant effects on global trade since its launch period in 1869 until now. The process involved the varying display of human behavior, human expression, and ethical issues, which highlighted the development challenges and success of the invention process. The invention process saw the spread of cholera, which caused the loss of lives, bringing fear among the workers and company controllers. However, there was joy upon its completion as it reduced the burden of circumnavigating Africa to ensure that trade was possible within various continents. Human expression implicated was replacing forced labor with machinery, which brought the application of technology in completing the project. The continuous process would later apply more technological innovations to expand the Suez Canal and control its operations for broader global trade. The concerns from ethics explained the emergence of the Suez Canal crisis that provided the geopolitical effect and resolutions involving the UN and conventional treaties in promoting peace along the canal.
The canal has supported significant global trade, with about 10% of goods and services moved via the canal in recent trade trends. The ideal operations of the canal are in line with the logistics laws that depend on the domestic and international trade laws of the countries taking part in shipping the products. The canal remains a vital waterway that links Europe and the rest of the world, giving the European market dominance in international trade alongside America. Other regions, such as Africa, particularly Egypt, have shown a developing trend that makes it the hub of trade in Africa. The Middle East has gained tremendous growth and development through efficient international trade, which is linked to the Suez Canal establishment.
Personal Reflection
I have learned various aspects of trade through the completion of this project that provides the expansion of global trade. The historical invention of the Suez Canal is the foundation of constructing canals that can link different parts of the world to enable efficient transportation of goods. I have noted that the construction of significant canals requires unity of purpose with guidelines of operation laid in a conventional treaty to avoid conflicts that may arise due to varying strategic trade advantages. Technology is vital in propagating the development of canals and logistics systems globally. The innovations applied in the past and contemporary adjustments shed light on the importance of incorporating technological changes for any infrastructural development for significant projects.
I experienced various challenges related to the collection of relevant materials of reference for this project. The difficulty arose from numerous research works that applied the Suez Canal as the scope of the study; therefore, filtering relevant research works for my project took time and required extensive search and comparative review. The historical events exist in gaps because of the inconsistency in data recording that existed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Most statistics on the costs of the construction process do not provide factual evidence or monetary quotation to reveal the damages incurred by the parties that took part in the invention process.
Even though there existed data discontinuation, I managed to review the historical events of the invention of the Suez Canal. I narrowed down the analysis to feature human expression, ethics, and human behavior with the context resolution that gives light on the progress and existence of the Suez Canal. I identified suitable peace-keeping recommendations to see bordering countries enjoy the strategic advantage and boost their revenue collection from operations along the canal. I managed to identify a progressive research gap that will help in further studies to enable the expansion of knowledge, which is vital in understanding the impact of the Suez Canal on contemporary global trade in line with climate change as posited by the emissions that come from ships and other machines operating along the canal.
I applied critical analysis to explore the historical relations of the Suez Canal to its current use in global trade. The analysis identified technology as a vital tool for elevating the canal’s logistic and maintenance processes. Critical analysis guides research work by identifying an existing gap and then demystifying appropriate strategies to fill the gap, therefore, promoting research work. The analysis helped to identify recommendations that would guide operations of the canal and enable consistent adjustment of technology in the process.
Finally, the revolution of the Suez Canal implies the possibility of developing various trade channels to ensure an aggregate growth of global trade. The canal has provided many more positive effects than the negativity that developed during the invention process. The canal has supported trade and politics of purpose, such as wars against criminal groups, particularly the pirates. The canal acts as an efficient channel for army troops to train and expand the security base to maintain peace in the world. A progressive caucus of developed and developing countries should extend and construct many canals to ensure that distance as a factor in the shipment of goods across the world finds a solution that will reflect in the final output of trade for various economies. The progress witnessed in trade since 1869 through support by the Suez Canal is a global figure of growth and development supported by international trade.
References
Carminati, L. (2020). Port said and Ismailia as desert marvels: Delusion and frustration on the isthmus of Suez, pp.1859-1869. Journal of Urban History, 46(3), 622-647. https://doi.org/10.1177/0096144218821342
Hafez, R. M., & Madney, I. (2020). Suez Canal region as an economic hub in Egypt location analysis for the mass real estate appraisal process. HBRC Journal, 16(1), 59–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/16874048.2020.1734347
INTLREG Admin. (2019, November 17). 150 years of the Suez canal-flashback in maritime history–the Suez canal opened to shipping on 17 November 1869. International Register of Shipping (INTLREG) – Your Reliable Partner in the Maritime World. https://intlreg.org/2019/11/17/150-years-of-the-suez-canal-flashback-in-maritime-history-suez-canal-opened-to-shipping-17-november-1869/
Irvine, A. (2021, March 24). What was the impact of the Suez Canal, and why is it so important? History Hit. https://www.historyhit.com/1869-opening-suez-canal/
Lee, J. M., & Wong, E. Y. (2021). Suez Canal blockage: An analysis of legal impact, risks, and liabilities to the global supply chain. MATEC Web of Conferences, 339, 01019. https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/202133901019
Roxburgh, D. J. (2022). The Suez Canal Inauguration. Making Modernity in the Islamic Mediterranean, pp. 235–256. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv27qzrc4.19
Tsiamis, C., Hatzara, C., & Vrioni, G. (2022). The Suez Canal under quarantine: Sanitary history of the Mediterranean gateway (19th–21st centuries). SHS Web of Conferences, 136, 02003. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202213602003
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