The Transformation of Egypt (RLE Egypt) Routledge Library Editions: Egypt Series

The assassination of Sadat brings to an end another era in Egyptian history. This book examines the crucial issues in the transformation of Egypt in the period between the death of Nasser and the murder of Sadat.

Focusing on the upheavals in the Egyptian political and economic structure over the last twenty years, the book explains the change in Egypt's international orientation through a careful examination of domestic factors. The switch from Nasser's state socialist-political economy to Sadat's more laissez-faire approach and the institutional and structural links between the two are analysed as the key to understanding the dynamic developments within Egypt.

The book argues that the propagation of a new political economy was the primary basis of Sadat's ability to remain in power, while the weaknesses in that economy drove Sadat to seek external solutions and ultimately undermined his domestic support. His conduct of the 1973 war, his trip to Jerusalem, his enthusiasm for the United States and his whole perception of Middle Eastern affairs must be seen in terms of his domestic policies and internal troubles.

First published 1982.

List of tables. List of figures. Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction 2. The nature of Egyptian Arab Socialism 3. The causes and consequences of the June 1967 war 4. The political economy of reform 5. The ghost of Nasser and the rise of Sadat 6. The causes and consequences of the October 1973 war 7. The policy of economic liberalization 8. Political liberalization: content and form 9. The executive branch 10. The legislature and other political institutions 11. Political parties 12. The elections 13. The January riots 14. January and Jerusalem: the final transformation. Notes. Index.