Egypt

by Robert Springborg

Egypt is one of the few great empires of antiquity that exists today as a nation state. Despite its extraordinary record of national endurance, the pressures to which Egypt currently is subjected and which are bound to intensify are already straining the ties that hold its political community together, while rendering ever more difficult the task of governing it. In this timely book, leading expert on Egyptian affairs Robert Springborg explains how a country with such a long and impressive history has now arrived at this parlous condition. As Egyptians become steadily more divided by class, religion, region, ethnicity, gender and contrasting views of how, by whom and for what purposes they should be governed, so their rulers become ever more fearful, repressive and unrepresentative. Caught in a downward spiral in which poor governance is both cause and consequence, Egypt is facing a future so uncertain that it could end up resembling neighboring countries that have collapsed under similar loads. The Egyptian "hot spot", Springborg argues, is destined to become steadily hotter, with ominous implications for its peoples, the Middle East and North Africa, and the wider world.

Genres: Egypt, Politics, History

264 pages, Hardcover

Published October 9, 2017

Reviews

[George Cordahi]

This is a very harsh and pessimistic book, which is not a normal way to describe a book for specialists in Egyptian political economy and government.

For the generalist reader interested in Egypt, the middle chapters are heavy slogging, but they make up the essence of Robert Springborg’s argument. What is the argument? It is that the “key explanatory variable” for how Egypt, after transitioning to a ”modern state that came to dominate its region” and became a leader of the then Thirld World … arrived at this (current) parlous condition” is “the manner in which state power has been acquired and exercised”.

What the author argues, is that since1952, the consecutive rulers of Republican Egypt, established, fostered and then came to depend on a “deep state” intent on self-preservation. For self-preservation and to protect its privileges, the deep state limited that options available to policy makers, and excluded others altogether, and that it redirected precious resources from promising sectors of the economy to what were essentially dead-end and uneconomic projects.

By identifying 1952 as the critical inflection point in this saga, the book is bound to infuriate the defenders of the “1952 Revolution” and bring smiles to those nostalgic for the pre-republican Kingdom of Egypt for whom 1952 represented a catastrophic coup. Both sides would do well to temper their fury or their enthusiasm. Defenders of the 1952 revolution would do well to criticize this book vigorously as they see fit, but not to dismiss it. Those nostalgic for pre-1952 Egypt should do well to recognize that Springborg’s excruciating critique of Republican Egypt do not necessarily translate into a vindication of monarchical Egypt in spite of several references to a green revolution in agriculture that was cut short by the policies of the regime that followed.

[Finlay Pike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gold mine of information, but it has some issues. Paints pre-Nasser Egypt in a very favourable light, even if there were elements of the post-Nasser “deep state” present, and portrays the military/security service’s actions in 2011-2012 as planned (how could they have planned it so perfectly?) also a slog to read

[Ashlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has fantastic data for a comprehensive review of the Egyptian situation as of 2017. Though, written in complex syntax saturated in the high brow language of academia, making it a slog to read. Did not agree with monarchical Egypt as a an open access order theory.

[Youssef Abdelgawad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering Springborg rests his entire analysis on the ideas if Limited Access Order and the Socio-fiscal Trap, he could have given more explanation to the theory behind both concepts. Otherwise a clear eyed, if pessimistic, analysis.

[Ahmed Fouad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book descripe the actual facts like I lived it. Sophistificated analysis of the egypt.

[I Read, Therefore I Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Springborg is a retired Professor of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and in this fascinating, informative and profoundly depressing book that’s clearly written and easy to follow he describes the structural factors that have played their part over the last 70 years in driving Egypt to the point of crisis where division is rife and government more repressive, inefficient and authoritarian.

[Gamal Zohdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Talks about the deep state in Egypt consisting of the army, the Ministry of Interior and the Intelligence. Insightful to anyone who wants to learn about current politics in Egypt. It discusses how the deep state controls the government, judiciary system and the house of representatives.

[Karim Younes · Rating 4 out of 5]

توصيف دقيق للأحداث داخل مصر

[Belal Darder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended to understand Egypt’s current political and economic situation.