Aim: Is Egypt a “typical” decolonizing state?

1. Aim: Is Egypt a “typical” decolonizing state?

2. Muhammad Ali1803-1849

3. Agricultural breadbasket - wheat and cotton Egyptian autonomy from Ottomans Modernization efforts begin in education, agriculture, industry (textile mills - cotton is right there! ) Peasants resist modernization Hard to be an Egyptian nationalist as an Albanian Lack of coal, iron Europeans demand free trade, Egyptians can’t compete with cheaper English goods Muhammad Ali’s EgyptStrengths Weaknesses

4. What does Muhammad Ali do right, wrong; what is beyond his control? Compare to Italy, Germany • Tries to industrialize, and to protect his “infant” industry to do so • Hard to be an Albanian “Egyptian nationalist” • Hard to fight back with the Europeans breathing down your neck; too close to Europe - compare with Japan

5. Imperialism's Impact: Egypt and the Suez Canal

6. Suez Canal: An Investment Gone Bad Egyptian-French collaboration: Egypt borrows the money to build the Canal from the French, then defaults

7. Suez Canal: An Investment Gone Bad The British step in: British buy up the French debt; send troops to Egypt to provide the Egyptian pasha with economic “advice” to pay back loan Lord Cromer: Ruler of Egypt

8. Suez Canal: An Investment Gone Bad The British step in: British buy up the French debt; send troops to Egypt to provide the Egyptian pasha with economic “advice” to pay back loan

9. Egypt becomes a British “Protectorate” Results: Creation of a plantation cash crop: cotton; Peasants driven off land; British control Egypt with just 5000 troops

10. Period of “official” independence1922-1952 • British dominated kings • Little economic development • Still treated as a colonial economy: agriculture (cotton)

11. Gamal Abdul Nasser • Seizes power in a military coup • Nationalizes the Suez Canal (1956) and tilts toward socialist economic policies • Fights war against Israel, Britain, France (1956) • Attempts at pan-Arabism: United Arab Republic w/ Syria (1958-61); later discussions with Iraq about unity

12. Builds Aswan Dam across Nile with help from the Soviet Union (electrification) Aswan Dam from space

13. Anwar Sadat (1970-1981) • Begins rapprochement with the United States • Signs peace treaty with Israel; first Arab nation to recognize Israel • Egypt becomes second largest recipient of American aid • Borrows money from west

14. Hosni Mubarak (1981-2011) • Continues policies of Sadat • Authoritarian government • Alliance with, and aid from, United States • State-controlled capitalist economy • “Crony capitalism” • Small elite, large impoverished peasant and working class

15. Hosni Mubarak (1981-2011) • Foreign debt cut in half due to Egypt’s participation in first Iraq War (1991) • Restructures economy following policies of the International Monetary Fund to pay off debt: • Reduced tariffs on foreign goods • Reduced tax rates on wealthy • Privatization of state-owned property • Foreign business-friendly environment • Eliminated food subsidies and other social welfare programs

16. What does it mean to be “underdeveloped” in 2011? Per Capita Income: • Singapore: $57,200 • United States: $47,400 • Italy: $30,700 • Hungary: $19,000 • Mexico: $13,800 • Brazil: 10,900 • China: $7,400 • Egypt: 6,200 • India: $3,400 • Nigeria: $2,400 • North Korea: $1,800 • Congo: $300

17. Egypt: a “typical” post-colonial nation? • Advantages: Nile River, good agriculture, electrification, historic cultural and geographic center of Middle East, relatively high literacy rate, aid from Soviets, massive aid from US after peace treaty with Israel • Disadvantages: Little industry in 1952, high birth rate, long history of despotic government

18. Egypt: a “typical” post-colonial nation? • Authoritarian governments, favored by both superpowers and by foreign “business community” • Lots of government favoritism • Experimented at times with both state and private ownership • Gradual industrialization; some technological development • Economy has grown slowly, and standard of living remains low