The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square

by Steven A. Cook

Overview

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 lynchpin 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, noted regional specialist Steven Cook 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 episodes: 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199920808
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	10/07/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Steven A. Cook is the Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. A leading expert on Arab and Turkish politics, Cook is the author of Ruling But Not Governing: The Military and Political Development in Egypt, Algeria, and Turkey.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Acknowledgements Maps Introduction: Hassan Chapter I: Egypt for the Egyptians Chapter II: The Rise of the Officers Chapter III: Setback and Revolt Chapter IV: Hero of the Crossing Chapter V: A Tale of Two Egypts Chapter VI: Radar Contact Lost Chapter VII: Zamalek Lobbies Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

Cook isn't trying to tell us why Egyptians revolted in 2011, or what might come next, although his perceptive analysis helps answer both questions. His real aim is to diagnose Egypt's decline and directionlessness in the modern era, from Nasser's charisma to Mubarak's dead-man governing act, and to shed light on America's role. With meticulous historical context and the acumen of a political scientist, Cook…weaves together a narrative drawn from archives, interviews and his own firsthand reporting during a decade of visits to Egypt.
—The New York Times Book Review

Thanassis Cambanis

Jumping from the chaotic byways of Cairo to the highest reaches of international diplomacy, this providentially-timed account of modern Egyptian history combines immersion journalism with insightful policy analysis. A Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Cook (Ruling but Not Governing: The Military) translates an insider's perspective for a general readership. Tracing two trajectories-Egypt's uneasy foreign relations and its authoritarian domestic politics-he argues that the exuberant democratic uprisings of Spring 2010 had origins stretching back half a century. British colonialists "demonstrated an unwillingness to acknowledge Egypt's popular will," and their American and Soviet successors were mostly interested in the nation's strategic value in the Cold War. The worst international affronts, Cook argues, came at the hands of the Israeli Defense Forces, which defeated the Egyptian army in 1956, 1967, and 1973. Domestically, a coup led by Gamal Abdel Nasser wrested political power from the monarchy in 1952. Promising positive change, Nasser transformed his country into "an influential voice in the developing world." His successors, Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak, oversaw a steady decline from the initial euphoria of independence. By 2011, the "failure of Nasserism, with its rhetorical emphasis on social justice, income redistribution, free education, and guaranteed employment," was more or less complete, and the stage was set for Tahrir Square.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly

"With meticulous historical context and the acumen of a political scientist, Cook, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, weaves together a narrative drawn from archives, interviews and his own firsthand reporting during a decade of visits to Egypt . . . What Cook has given us is a scholar's well-informed, analytical history, which offers invaluable insights to anyone interested in how Egypt came to its present impasse . . . a substantial and engaging book." —New York Times Book Review

"Incredibly vivid...the single best book on Egypt"—Fareed Zakaria

"[An] excellent new book." —The Christian Science Monitor

"From his wanderings on the Arab streets of Cairo (and dozens of other Arab and Turkish towns), Cook brings the revolution to life. But he does so with the depth of knowledge of someone who has understood the dynamics of Egyptian - indeed, Arab autocracy - for years." —Slate

"[A] detailed account of the build-up to revolution and how recent developments were organized . . . Cook, who is intimately familiar with Egypt and its political and cultural history, begins from Nasser's 1952 coup, providing broad context for his discussion." —Kirkus Reviews

"A timely and easily accessible account of Egypt's modern history ... Beyond Cook's analysis of Nasser's, Sadat's, and Mubarak's struggles to stay in power, build regime legitimacy, and extend the government's reach, The Struggle for Egypt also contains fascinating chapters on Washington's relationship with Cairo and how it also ultimately helped undermine the old order ... Ultimately, The Struggle for Egypt leaves the reader less surprised by the events of 2011, which are still buffeting Egypt. Instead, one is more startled by the fact that the reign of the Free Officers and the system erected and maintained by Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak held together for as long as it did." —Mediterranean Quarterly

"Tell[s] the story of Egypt in rich detail, beginning with Nasser and on to Sadat and Mubarak." —Nancy Youssef, Washington Week

"Jumping from the chaotic byways of Cairo to the highest reaches of international diplomacy, this providentially-timed account of modern Egyptian history combines immersion journalism with insightful policy analysis. A Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Cook translates an insider's perspective for a general readership." —Publishers Weekly

"Cook's timely, well-written history offers the best up to date review of Egypt's modern political history through the opening months of the revolution that brought down Hosni Mubarak. His account of how the 1952 Egyptian revolution produced the Nasserist authoritarian regime is more relevant today than ever, as is his discussion of the final years of the decaying Mubarak regime — including intriguing new evidence about Gamal Mubarak's activities. " —ForeignPolicy.com, Best Books on the Middle East, 2011

"The Struggle For Egypt, is a timely, well-researched and lucid political history that sweeps back to the origins of the praetorian dynasty that has ruled Egypt since the 1952 military coup." —The Economist

"Cook's Struggle for Egypt is not just another Arab Spring book but one with lasting relevance for Egypt watchers. With 30 pages of footnotes, a 40-page bibliography and a comprehensive index, it is full of useful reference material, while personal anecdotes provide local flavor and add to the overall appeal . . . Cook's exploration of the history of the regime and the dynamics it produced help place current events in context and provide important insights about how the main protagonists are likely to respond to the evolving order. Even those who know Egypt well will learn something new from this fresh presentation of events." —iddle East Policy

"Cook is a compelling writer who has a knack for memorable openings and knows how to appeal to both a scholarly audience and the interested general reader. The treatment of the recent political changes in The Struggle for Egypt is a master-class in how popular historians can cover sudden developments while still maintaining a focus on a longer period." — Matthew Partridge, London School of Economics (June 2012)

"This is an excellent introduction to Egypt's politics and the 2011 revolution."—CHOICE

"The Struggle for Egypt is obviously not a rush job written to respond to the recent high-profile events in Egypt. Instead, it is clearly well researched and well argued and is the result of considerable work and effort." —Mediterranean Quarterly

From the Publisher

The unfolding of events leading up to the overthrow of Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, including a detailed account of the build-up to revolution and how recent developments were organized.

Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow Cook (Ruling But Not Governing: The Military and Political Development in Egypt, Algeria and Turkey,2007), who is intimately familiar with Egypt and its political and cultural history, begins from Nasser's 1952 coup, providing broad context for his discussion. He duly investigates the many strands of Egypt's religious, military and political history, in particular since the British bought the Suez Canal Company from its French owners at the end of the 19th century. Cook also focuses on the relationship between Islam and Egypt's military, demonstrating how U.S. policies have been spread through the Middle East by the Agency for International Development, working with the Egyptian government's institutions. Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is the main concern, since it has provided a core of personnel for al-Qaeda's terror operations around the world, including 9/11. Cook also profiles the secular opposition, which has been increasing, and the factors that contributed to the Tahrir Square demonstrations.

A nice complement to Lloyd Gardner's similar book, The Road to Tahrir Square (2011), though Cook is more concerned with internal than international dynamics.

Kirkus Reviews