1.
2 Nasser’s Consolidation of Power
Expectations to satisfy
o Political (e.g. freedom of expression), economic (e.g. redistribution of land) & social (gender equality, elimination of corruption) –
“just tyrant” to restore order
Curbing the opposition
o Eliminating rivals (Left, Muslim Brothers & Wafd party) by banning all parties (natural for authoritarian rule)
o Cleansing campaign replacing older-generation politicians with younger ones
o Ruthless repression of opposition through force & propaganda shows authoritarian nature
Liberation Rally (11 objectives, incl. withdrawal of foreign troops, fair distribution of wealth and freedom of expression)
New government
o Ali Maher (elite & conservative) was PM after coup, resigned when he opposed agrarian reforms Neghib as PM
o Constitution rewritten King deposed, General Neghib as president & Free Officers as ministers.
Nasser’s emergence as leader
o Free Officers had elected Nasser as leader (charismatic & an ordinary Egyptian personality cult to maintain power)
o Neghib vs. Nasser Nasser called for free elections
o Nasser portrayed Neghib as a representative of the old system’s chaos unpopular Nasser could restore order
o Nasser outmanoeuvred Neghib (put him under house arrest) & became leader
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1.3 Nasser’s Policies
Domestic policies
National Union = single party
Need for diversified economy (cotton production insufficient) & land redistribution (more social equity)
3 Agrarian Reform Laws (1952, 1961 & 1969)
o Land redistribution, but only benefited the poorest, whole economy did not benefit
o State owned the redistributed land & controlled the production through cooperatives
Development strategy
o Despite the major role played by agriculture in the economy, Egypt needed to industrialise in order to become more independent.
o Phase one (1952-1956); private enterprise economy
The state invested into the public sector, while encouraging private & foreign investors as well not much success
Inland production instead of import, industrial projects (dams) to help the agriculture (US funds)
o Phase two (1956-1970); state capitalism (system stays capitalist, but production is owned by the state more centralised)
Lack of investments state nationalised private properties. USSR also provided loans for industrial projects.
Ministry of Industry established & became prominent.
o The first Five-Year Plan (1960-1965)
Objective: Egypt totally self-reliant in 5 years.
Expansion of consumer goods sector & promotion of industries with export potential
Public sector acquired more & more of Egypt’s wealth. Lack of competition lack of incentive risk of economic
stagnation
Failed; public sector too large, Egyptian economy not improving 1967 Nasser stopped trying
Silencing the opposition
o Trade unions strikes forbidden (repression), workers given privileges as appeasement. Allowing many trade unions
preventing a concentration of power
o Universities Liberation Rally offices in universities + monitoring of student and professor activities (repression).
o Islam (Muslim Brothers banned). Islamic university brought under state control, non-clerics appointed as professors
incorporate Islam into the system silence it as a potential “centre of power”.
The National Charter
o New constitution after secession of Syria from UAR (see below)
o Idea of uniting Arab nations under Nasser’s leadership. National Union replaced by Arab Socialist Union (ASU)
Evaluating Nasser’s domestic policies
Agrarian Reforms: helped acquire popular support; cooperatives & land under state control centralised economy.
Expansion of public sector: problematic, bad planning. New projects neglect of existing agriculture. Public sector = ultimate
authoritarian tool to control the people served a political purpose rather than an economic one.
Nasser’s foreign policies
Egypt’s move away from the West
o Wanted to remove British influence from entire Arab world
o Non-Aligned country, neutral during the Cold War
The Suez (Tripartite) War
o See Cold War Notes 2.6
Egypt’s move towards the Soviet camp
o Nasser was not communist, but both he and Khrushchev wanted a working relationship between Egypt and the USSR. Khrushchev
agreed to a loan to help finance the Aswan dam. US didn’t like this, portrayed Nasser as an enemy of the West.
The United Arab Republic (UAR)
o Nasser’s success in Suez Crisis saw himself as hero in Arab world other Arab leader saw him as a threat
o Arabism: an ideology that sees Arabs as one nation. Nasser wanted to united Arab nations to achieve more power
o Unstable Syria came to Nasser for help United Arab Republic Nasser as president Syria left Nasser didn’t give up
o 2nd attempt: Iraq, Egypt and Syria, failed.
o Example of Nasser’s obsession with power + conviction that his policies were correct/only way to proceed
The Yemen episode
o Civil war in Yemen republicans went to Nasser for help sent Egyptian (“UAR”) troops many died, money lost
drop in Nasser’s popularity.
Confrontation with Israel
o Nasser pro-Palestinian tensions with Israel
o “Six Day War”: War against Israel
Cause: clashes along Syrio-Israeli border + Arab leaders accused Nasser of hiding behind UN had to prove himself as
leader of the Arab world.
Reckless, led to defeat; army weakened by Yemen war.
Evaluating Nasser’s foreign policies from different perspectives
Britain: Nasser was a demon who had forced them out.
US: Nasser was a threat because of his relationship with the USSR.
USSR: The relationship with Egypt was useful and satisfactory.
Israel: Nasser was a threat because he was powerful and anti-Israel.
Arab world: Nasser’s attempt to unite the Arab world proved impossible; existing nations didn’t want to give up autonomy
Egypt: Successfully got rid of Brits, but wars were unwelcome; Egyptians gave up lives & money for wars irrelevant to them
Nasser’s use of the media as propaganda
Low literacy rate cinema & radio more accessible to public
Arab language had the advantage of being international.
Cinema: pro-Nasser films critical of the past
Radio = Cheap, entertaining & easily accessible propaganda tool. Government-controlled, colloquial Arabic & “we” to promote Arab
unity & be closer to people.
Nasser resigns but he doesn’t, then he dies
Six Day War defeat Nasser announced resignation protests nvm I’ll stay blamed army officers & air force for defeat instead
Nasser re-evaluated some policies, toning down his socialist intentions & creating friendlier relations with other Arab leaders. His view on
Israel remained unchanged and a further war took place.
Died in 1970
Nasser’s legacy
Succeeded by Anwar Sadat, who liberalised the economy and made peace with Israel.
Nostalgia surrounding Nasser’s era, but
Got the British to leave & attempted social justice; criticised for rash & compulsive policies. All in all, it is undisputed that he established
an authoritarian state with a single party, repressed opposition and censored press.