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.