KUWAITI WORKERS AND WESTERN OIL COMPANIES 1946-1960

Abstract

Kuwaiti oil was very important for oil companies of colonial powers such as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, APOC, and Gulf Oil Company. Those two companies managed to acquire oil concession inside Kuwait. Although they achieved huge financial profits led to welfare and happiness of American and British peoples, they, however, broke the terms of the concession agreement regarding Kuwaiti workers rights by not providing jobs, training, qualifying, high position and other rights. In return, Kuwait witnessed a successful labor movement led to having workers’ rights. Moreover, that movement had a potential role in the decision of nationalization of foreign oil companies later in 1975. In light of the above, this study aims at highlighting the most important companies that had oil concessions in Kuwait. Also, it seeks to identify their real policies toward Kuwait and its workers. In addition, the finding tries to show the Kuwaiti workers response on the companies which exhausted Kuwait’s resources and depraved Kuwaitis from their normal rights. As far as the method followed by the study, nature of the research requires applying the suitable analytical approach. That is, via the references and sources used in study, the linked points with the subject are being specified, analyzed and objectively criticized in order to show the injustice that had taken place from colonial oil companies upon Kuwaiti workers.

Received: 3 June 2021

Reviewed: 22 September 2021

Accepted: 6 December 2021