著者

桃井 治郎

出版者

日本中東学会

雑誌

日本中東学会年報 (ISSN:09137858)

巻号頁・発行日

no.22, pp.53-76, 2007-03-20

---

At the beginning of the 19th century, corsairs of the regencies of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli of the Ottoman Empire, also called the "Barbary corsairs," were terminated by the military and diplomatic pressure of Western countries. The Barbary corsairs were abolished partly because modern Europe had an inclination to consider Barbary corsairs inadmissible and illegal on the grounds of doctrines such as humanitarianism, free trade, and prohibition of private war. Until the 18th century, European countries signed peace treaties with the regencies in exchange for the payment of tribute. In other words, they passively admitted the existence of Barbary corsairs in order to ensure the safety of domestic vessels. Britain and France had also condoned activities of Barbary corsairs for the exclusion of other European states from the Mediterranean trade. However, such coexistence collapsed dramatically at the beginning of the 19th century. The United States and subsequently Britain commenced military actions against the regencies in 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 between these two countries ended. They absolutely denied the system of Barbary corsairs on the grounds of humanitarianism, free trade, and prohibition of private war. This entailed the release of European and American slaves and the refusal of the tribute system. European powers discussed a project for a league against the regencies in the Congress of London and decided on the abolition of Barbary corsairs in the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle. In 1819, an English-French combined fleet informed the regencies of the resolution of the European powers and demanded the abolition of the corsairs. Algiers and Tunis refused the European demand, asserting that they maintained friendly relations with European powers, the treaties with European powers were strictly observed, and the abandonment of corsairs signified the one-sided renunciation of war against European countries. Although this negotiation did not result in an explicit conclusion, Barbary corsairs were thereafter strongly restricted under the European military and diplomatic pressure. Finally, in 1830, the French invasion of Algiers and the conclusion of a treaty between Tunis and France put an end to Barbary corsairs. The abolition of Barbary corsairs is an example of the beginning of the international system based on the values of modern Europe. Although realized by means of military force, also called gunboat diplomacy, the doctrine of modern Europe such as humanitarianism, free trade, and prohibition of private war, became a universal norm in the area of international relations. The end of Barbary corsairs was a process in which European powers tried to abolish them on the basis of a dualistic view of good and evil. Certainly, the system of modern Europe is "good" and that of Barbary corsairs is "evil." At the beginning of the 19th century, European powers adopted a dualistic view and endeavored to eradicate the evil and to extend the good in the practice of international relations. Consequently, Barbary corsairs were abolished and the international system was westernized. In addition, the European dualistic view became universal as the international system was based on the values of modern Europe, or westernized. In conclusion, the modern European dualistic view of good and evil and the Westernization of the international system were closely related because the former morally urges the latter and the latter establishes the universality of the former.