Page 277 - UAE Truncal States

Chapter Seven

slaves, without whom their pearling ventures would be totally
destroyed. Thus, the threat that the British Government might
impose a general manumission loomed large, and the influential
merchants of Dubai together with the Ruler’s cousins further
criticised the Ruler for not impressing upon the British Government
representatives more successfully that Dubai should not be forced to
accept general manumission. In the event this issue was not enforced
by the British Government until long after the Second World War.

Sonic wind of change
Some of the A1 Bu Falasah and other prominent merchants realised
that employment had to be provided for the many people who had
been thrown out of work by the decline of the pearling industry.
When a scheme to deepen the creek to prepare it for the oil companies
was first considered, and when the possibility arose of the construc­
tion of an airstrip as a result of an air traffic agreement between the
Ruler and the British Government,23 they suggested that the Ruler
should insist on the employment of local labour. Already, then, the
principle was formulated that foreign companies operating in Dubai
were required to recruit and train local people. Initially this applied
particularly to the oil company which had made a preliminary
agreement with the Ruler on 22 May 1937.
A latent but important influence on life in Dubai was the rapidly
increasing frequency of contacts with the world outside the Gulf and
outside British India. The landing of civilian and military aircraft, the
increase in steamer traffic, but above all the Second World War itself
sharpened the awareness of the fact that the way of life in the
industrial countries was spreading fast and had become of some
relevance even to the traditional society of the Trucial States. The
wish to bring modern medicine to the City State was prevalent
among the leading families in Dubai some time before the Majlis
engaged in the process of recruiting a doctor. Modern education was
inaugurated during the short life of that Majlis in the atmosphere and
spirit which arose from the realisation that there were important
developments in the world at large, and from the determination that
the society of Dubai should not fail to take full advantage of such of
these developments as would benefit the City State. Schools were
opened in quick succession, and the introduction of the English
language was considered desirable from the beginning.
The economic decline of the 1930s and 1940s caused changes

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