The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square

by Steven A. Cook

The recent revolution in Egypt has shaken the Arab world to its roots. The most populous Arab country and the historical center of Arab intellectual life, Egypt is a linchpin of the US's Middle East strategy, receiving more aid than any nation except Israel. This is not the first time that the
world and has turned its gaze to Egypt, however. A half century ago, Egypt under Nasser became the putative leader of the Arab world and a beacon for all developing nations. Yet in the decades prior to the 2011 revolution, it was ruled over by a sclerotic regime plagued by nepotism and corruption.
During that time, its economy declined into near shambles, a severely overpopulated Cairo fell into disrepair, and it produced scores of violent Islamic extremists such as Ayman al-Zawahiri and Mohammed Atta.

In The Struggle for Egypt , Steven Cook--a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations--explains how this parlous state of affairs came to be, why the revolution occurred, and where Egypt might be headed next. A sweeping account of Egypt in the modern era, it incisively chronicles all of
the nation's central historical the decline of British rule, the rise of Nasser and his quest to become a pan-Arab leader, Egypt's decision to make peace with Israel and ally with the United States, the assassination of Sadat, the emergence of the Muslim Brotherhood, and--finally--the
demonstrations that convulsed Tahrir Square and overthrew an entrenched regime.

Throughout Egypt's history, there has been an intense debate to define what Egypt is, what it stands for, and its relation to the world. Egyptians now have an opportunity to finally answer these questions. Doing so in a way that appeals to the vast majority of Egyptians, Cook notes, will be
difficult but ultimately necessary if Egypt is to become an economically dynamic and politically vibrant society.

Genres: Middle East, Nonfiction, History, Politics, Egypt, Africa

424 pages, Hardcover

First published September 2, 2011

About the author

Steven A. Cook is the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He is also the author of The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square (Oxford University Press, 2011) and Ruling But Not Governing: The Military and Political Development in Egypt, Algeria, and Turkey (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007). Cook contributes regularly to foreign policy journals such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The Atlantic, and The New Republic. He also runs a blog about Middle Eastern politics and history.

Cook travels to the Middle East, usually Turkey and Egypt, several times a year and has lived in Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem, Ankara, and Ramallah. He knows three languages: English, Arabic, and Turkish. His research is primarily steeped in civil-military relations in the Middle East and he appears frequently on television and radio interviews to provide expert commentary on unfolding current events in the Middle East.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Andrew Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic, clear-headed, objective, generally very well-researched and insightful. Its masterful for Egyptian history until about 1990 or so, (like page 175 or so, after the pictures) then it collides with the recent past and turns into a bit of a messy morass.

Before that point, its possibly one of the best books on modern Egypt I've read and certainly one of the easiest to understand. The section around the Six-Day War is much weaker and the author should have been able to know better on several questions, which have been answered. Nonetheless, this is just one kinda weaker section in a very solid strong history.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scholarly, but readable account of postwar politics in Egypt. Sadly it ends with Mubarak's arrest in 2011. Time for an update, or at least an addendum, as there is still a lot of uncertainty.

[Jarno Mehtiö · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hyvä katsaus ajasta hieman ennen Nasserin vallankumousta 1952 aina Mubarakin kaatamiseen 2011.

Nasser tuli ja kaatoi vallan, mutta heillä ei ollut varsinaisesti tarkkaa suunnitelmaa, mihin ja miten Egyptiä viedä. Tiekartoille olisi ollut tilausta. Samalla jäi miettimättä oikeutus ja ideologia (epämääräisesti ymmärrettynä, ajatuksena siitä, mitä on olla egyptiläinen, mikä on egpyti, millä se oikeutetaan, mitä arvoja siinä on jne). Tarinallistamisellekin olisi ollut kysyntää.

Nasserin valtiojohtoisen talouskokeilujen ja neuvostoliittolaisten viritysten jälkeen hän alkoi jo elinaikanaan miettimään uutta suuntaa. Nasserin kuoltua ja Sadatin seurattua häntä Egypti alkoi hieman avautua länteen, taloutta raotettiin ja suhteet USAn asetettiin etusijalle. Ja tätä kautta Sadat päätyi solmimaan rauhansopimuksen Israelin kanssa, ensimmäisenä arabivaltiona. Sopimus, joka ei nostattanut hurrauksia Egyptissä, koska sen ei tulkittu antaneen egyptiläisille juurikaan mitään, siinä hylättiin palestiinalaiset epämääräisten ja syötyjen lupausten jälkeen Israelin armoille sekä menettiin maine ja osittain oma näkemys Egyptistä arabivaltioiden johtajana. Vähintään Sadatin tulkittiin myyneen liian halvalla tärkeimmän panttinsa. Sadat päätyikin murhatuksi.

Mubarakin kaudella kokeiltiin monia asioita. Ovia availtiin muslimitoimijoihin, mutta sekä heidän suosion että terroritekojen takia ne suljettiin myös. Taloutta koitettiin avata hieman lisää, mutta siitä hyötyivät harvat, näkyvimpänä Mubarakin oma poika 2000-luvulla (joka mm. Bank of American investointipankkiirina rikastutti itseään ja firmaansa uransa alussa, kunnes siirtyi itsenäiseksi yrittäjäksi). Demokratiaakin kokeiltiin ja availtiin. USA myös vaati tätä. Mutta sitten demokratia harmittavasti meni äänestämään muslimeja ensin Egyptissä ja sitten Hamasia Gazassa, mikä lakkautti USAn kiinnostuksen tämän hallintamuodon edistämiseen.

Joten 2010-luvulla oltiin tilanteessa, jossa talouskasvusta eivät päässeet nautimaan kansalaiset, väkiluku kasvoi huimasti, demokratiaa ei edistynyt, kansalaiset eivät kiinnittyneet valtioon.

[Thequeasydream · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cook's history of 20th-21st century Egypt is certainly detailed and intends to paint a comprehensive picture of Egyptian politics throughout the last approximately 90 years. The writing is clear and consistent, but also sort of formulaic. I read the whole book for a class but I think it would be more useful/interesting to read if you had a specific political period or event in Egyptian history in mind. Though the book is nominally about why the January 2011 uprising occurred, there isn't much analysis nor unifying thesis that ties together all the events covered; it really reads just like a straight shot account of whats been happening in Egypt over so many decades.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good history of 20-21st century Egypt. I learned a lot, particularly about the colonial and the Nasser eras. The writing was good (though not great) and it did a great job of filing in some of the gaps in my knowledge about Egyptian history. I would have liked a bit more detail about the recent revolution, but that's a big ask of a historian for an event that took place so recently.

[Sami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good objective history and factual perspective on Egyptian politics and society. Also an honest assessment of US politics in Egypt and the region, and a lucid explanation of the anti-American popular sentiment in the Arab street.

[Glenn Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong overview of Egypt from 1880 to 2011. A great deal of over-site, politics and intrigue from the many leaders over the decades, political parties and the military.

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic overview of Egyptian political history. It wants for grand theories, however, I prefer to provide my own.

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[Antony Ibrahim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great intro into Egypt's socio-political legacy written in an engaging and captivating manner.