EGYPT DOMESTIC POLICY 1952-1970 (NASSER)

Farouk overthrown in Free Officers

1952

Egypt become a republic

1952

All political parties (including the muslim brotherhood) banned

Jan 1953

Nasser becomes president of Egypt

1954

Nasser shot by muslim brotherhood giving a speech in Alexandria

1954

Suez Canal nationalised

July 1956

Nasser resigns as President, but continues premiership

June 1967

Nasser dies of heart attack

September 1970

economic makeup of Egypt before Nasser

80% population lived rurally and worked the land

Small number of landowners owned 1/3 of cultivated land

Nasser domestic aims

establish political and economic independence away from Great Powers/ West

encourage progress, modernisation and economic growth

establish national unity by blending Islam with socialism

tons of wheat imported from US to Egypt

200k

Work hours/ working week increased

1966

enrolment in education stat

public school enrolment doubled from 1953/4- 1965/6

funding for education stat

Ministry of Education funding doubled from 1960-1969

Universities established between 1957-1964

4

reasons for support of Free Officers

early support from agricultural/rural workers because of promise of land ownership reform

frustration of Farouk's corruption and poor leadership

benefits for Nasser in 'liquidation of feudalism'

would unlock some Egyptian wealth that had been kept in estates

hoped it would reestablish law and order between elites and workers- reduce conflict and improve economic productivity

terms for the redistribution of land

Landlords allowed to keep 200 acres for themselves, but anything extra to be redistributed (later reduced to 100 acres)

power of elites

meant Nasser's socioeconomic reforms were more modest to begin with- but land reforms really only impacted the top landowners, not the whole ruling class

Banks nationalised

1956

Economic Organisation set up

late 1956

economic growth increases

growth 1945-52 ave. 4.7%

growth 1959/60 6.4%

growth 1964/65 6.6%

loan from IMF 1957

$150 million

abolition of student and trade unions

October 1952

monarchy officially abolished

July 1953

press censorship

1952

success of domestic policy

land redistribution reduced rural poverty greatly

land redistribution improved farming efficiency

Nasser able to maintain control of Egypt for a long time compared to other Arab states (18 years)

Nasser largely remained popular with the poor and the middle classes (maintained leadership even after his resignation)

increased the quality of life for poor Egyptians

improved Egyptian infrastructure and modernised Egypt (ex. Aswan Dam)

Industrialisation improved and output increased

failure of domestic policy

land redistribution limited because of power of the elites

Nasser unpopular with Islamists

put Egypt into a lot of debt

inflation increased, economic stability decreased

food shortages because of financial deficit

cost of living increased (10% in 1966)