Introduction
Arab spring was an economic revolution in Arab countries in 2011 due to political and economic reasons. Egypt is one of the countries most affected by the revolution, mainly because of political and economic reasons. Egypt’s two politics and economy are well embedded in each other, and it caused the crisis for the people over the years. The pressing matters were not addressed; when addressed, they were only meant to favour a particular sect of society, especially the military and political elite. However, things turned different in 2011 when Egypt was relentless, and they demanded justice and wanted democracy and a better economy. This paper discusses this event in three categories; The economic crisis before the revolution (Arab Spring), the leadership system during the prion, and the article discuss causes that led to the process.
Egypt’s Economy before the Arab Spring
The economic crisis in Egypt began way back in 1990. The country was experiencing an economic recession caused by imbalances in microeconomics. The International Monetary Fund and World Bank intervened in the country’s crisis and salvaged the country from financial collapse. The intervention aimed to reform the government-run program and rectify imbalances in the microeconomics by increasing the privatization of state-owned firms, which were dragging the economy due to poor performance. The reforms were many, and they purposed to enhance trade in the country, promoting internal business, among others. However, the reforms were not progressing as fast, and many things went sour just before the Arab Spring. This led to many citizens being discontent with the crawling economy. Moreover, there was an increased level of poverty in the country and an upsurge in primary commodity prices and food coupled with other economic challenges, while the nation’s per capita was growing by 2 %.[1]
Due to many state-owned land and resources which were only accessible to government officials and a few business people, many of the Egyptians were suffering from poverty due to a lack of means to make money. Consequently, this increased the number of poor people in Egypt, which was approximately 10.7 million people. The number of poor people in Egypt continued to grow most, although the country’s GDP increased. The standard view was that as the economic reforms were made to revive the economy of Egypt, it was taken that part of the growth would be realized by exploiting the poor.[2] The population and demographics worsened the situation as most Egyptians live in large families while there are low incomes in the country, some of the poor have been low educated while the majority work in informal sectors with unskilled.
The economy was also characterized by income inequality, where the majority were dissatisfied with low incomes while the majority, especially the youth, had no jobs. This was predominantly due to the falling GDP of the country, which resulted in reduced production that saw many people lose their jobs and a decline in real income.[3] According to a report on Egypt, the collapse labour market in disability accentuates the high number of job seekers in the country. This was followed by a harsh economic backlash from collapsing of the market between 2008 and 2009, where the people that had to depend upon investment took the country into depression. The government also experienced a reduced flow of Domestic Foreign investment which was significant from 32% to 3,6%.[4] Several reasons caused domestic Foreign Investment. First was the decline of household credit, which fell sharply despite the banking sector offering good liquidity.
The economy of Egypt also experienced hurdles due to the drop in remittances, which primarily affected the demand for Egyptian workers. World economic crisis, which occurred between 2008 and 2009, reduced activities in GCC countries, the leading countries of migrant Egyptian workers. The oil export, the backbone of Egypt during the time, fell significantly in Kuwait and America, the main markets. GCC countries also experienced a decline in construction which employed many Egyptian, culminating in reduced remittances. Another study published in 2009 also showed that more than half a million people were to lose their jobs abroad. Around 30 % during the report’s publishing had already arrived, and only a handful of them would get a job. Egypt also experienced strain on the balance of payment. Exports from the country had declined when more than a third would not be exported. Following a decline in exports, the Central Bank of Egypt revealed the consequence would be dire as the country’s current account would be a deficit.
The Capital market collapse had the most detrimental effects on the country. Like other cases of economic struggle, this was caused by several factors. In 2007 due to a worldwide financial crisis, foreigners in Egypt rushed to liquidate assets they owned in Egypt to salvage their businesses in their home countries. Unprecedented inflation followed, leading to a rise in food prices which adversely affected investors who had earnest expectations that the stock market would be doing well.[5] All these economic crises are reflected in the real economy, where most sectors of the Egyptian economy significantly retardate leading to severe unemployment. The labour market was thus affected and unable to adjust, involving the youth and women most.[6]. Urban unemployment was most prevalent due to the fall of manufacturing and tourism, which declined to negative. These economic challenges affected consumers’ purchasing power, notwithstanding the high inflation in the country. Therefore, the economy was severely wounded before the Arab spring, which was majorly about the economic turbulence experienced in the economy affecting millions of people.
Ruling System during Arab Spring in Egypt
Before the Arab spring Egypt was ruled through a presidential system. Hosni Mubarak was the deputy president of Egypt when the then president Anwar Sadat was assassinated by Islamists because of being recognized by the Jewish state while watching a military parade. The demise of his predecessors informed him of his ruling system. Being mindful that many presidents had been assassinated, he took caution and formed a system that first brought to his interest. His leadership began by rather arresting many Islamists.[7] He was determined to take the country on the right trajectory cracking down on corrupt leaders and advocating for more radical economic and political reforms. However, an assassination attempt by the Islamist made a draconian out of Him and since then made changes to cling to power while at the same time securing his life by quelling any political upsurge that might lead to upheaval during his regime.
After this period, Mubarak began to rule with an iron fist. He used the police to arrest for political reasons to protect his position of power. This saw the emergence of state-supported police to torture enemies and political rivals of Mubarak.[8] Also, to consolidate his power, He gave state property to military allies. This was followed by the appointment of friends who were primarily corrupt and took on public money for their lavish lives. Yet poverty and unemployment continued to grow in the country. He went further to arrest, detain and torture any civil rights propagator and human rights as well as journalists whom he deemed a threat to his regime.
In 2005 the people felt it was too much for them, and they rallied for political reform. These moves were also aided by Bush’s active foreign policy about activities, which compelled Mubarak to loosen the strings under which He held Egypt and allowed multicandidate elections. Muslim brotherhood had stopped rhetoric and violence and started gaining momentum when the president decided to stop them by arresting many.[9] For the ruling regime, the ultimate goal was to swindle the economy’s resources and, by all means, to grip and cling to power. The government’s interest was not to grow poverty and unemployment rate in the country but rather to solidify power which could have sat better with most people.
Reasons for Arab Spring in Egypt
Arab spring was also a matter of political freedom and the right to expression. The people had grown tired of oppression caused by political reasons. They wanted to be freer to express their divergent political opinions contrary to the government and to have justice and human dignity. This was the slogan when multitudes of people had gathered to chant three words, “bread, education and freedom”. This shows the level of oppression was too much, and the people wanted out.[10] Since the independence of Egypt, the country has been ruled by iron fists by political dictators. Seemingly all the rulers of Egypt were at one-point military soldiers and strictly and violently prohibited any political movement opposing their authority. This was evident with the emergence of emergency law and the demonstrations in 2008, where Khaled Said was killed.
The elections were also not free and fair even after Mubarak promised constitutional reforms that saw 34 Muslim brothers win against 388 members of parliament in the central government. Security personnel such as police officers were used to brutalize civilians; human rights activists and journalists were tortured and killed.[11]. Most of the things were also militarized and under military control. Even civilians’ affairs were militarized, and ordinary people had little freedom. With the visit of Barack Obama, the country also saw the need for political freedom, and the younger generation became more politically aware and pushed for political freedom. And because of political radicalization, the youth made for civil conflict with the government, bringing about the revolution in Egypt. Moreover, when the process began, the government did not know how to stop the process peacefully. Instead, the government responded brutally, where rubber bullets, teargas and water cannons were used to disperse people.
Extreme poverty in Egypt was also a reason for the revolution. Egypt is regarded as one of the poorest countries in the Middle East, with poverty mostly in rural areas. The poverty level was considered to be lower than the international standards, and it has consistently declined since 1990. However, the few people who continually enjoy a lavish life have been living at the expense f the poor. Inequality of resources and wealth leading to poverty was also a problem which was not just a matter of class. Still, it was also based on the geographical area where the government only focused on some geographical regions abandoning some. The poverty level was reported to have increased from 19.4% to 21.5% in a short period between 2004 and 2008.[12] The poverty level was so bad that it was reported that women and children were not getting enough food.
Since independence, Egypt has never had progressive political reforms. As a result, economic changes and progression only privileged the political-military people, politicians, and rich people affiliated with the government. They marginalized most of the people who were middle class and poor.[13] Thus any economic reforms that the government implemented were only meant to benefit a few through corruption at the expense of the people and the rule of law. When the IMF and The World Bank advised President Mubarak to make economic reforms such as liberation and privatization, it only benefitted his affiliates as their property corresponded to almost 30% of the nation’s wealth obtained through corruption. Moreover, Egypt’s threatened patriarchal government perpetuated economic structures that were not distributive of wealth or access to financial stability. Education offered to the youth was restrictive and needed to make the child generate wealth for themselves. Unequal distribution of wealth saw the levels of poverty rise in the nation. The story of unemployment was also high for the country as the level of inflation was also taking root in the government.
The revolution was also spurred by the president’s intention of making the country hereditary. This was marched with the amendment of constitutional articles in 2005 that would facilitate the transition of power from President Mubarak to his son. Also, the election in 2010 was suspected to be fraudulent, leading most NDP members to parliament. This contradicted the expectation since the Muslim brothers had become more popular. The government had also failed to manage a crisis that emanated from a lack of taking the necessary political reforms in 2005-2007, which did not open the opportunity to absorb the youth and the marginalized middle class for contesting for elective positions.
The Muslim Brotherhood might also have led to the revolution in Egypt. Although the Group was often excluded from politics because of attempted coups, the Group was determined to see the process. By being involved in many philanthropic activities and voicing out the grievance of many Egyptians, the brotherhood gained popularity, and at the same time, it was pushing for a revolution. The explosive population growth also aided Muslim Brotherhood’s want for change.[14] Most of the people that were involved in the uprising were youth. Their high number was significant because they formed the largest part of the population of Egypt. The majority were unemployed, and many were experiencing a severe economic crisis, while others were students and were struggling with their fees. The call of the Muslim brothers empowered the voices of the unheard youth who took it to the street. Since they also felt that elections were rigged and only a few candidates had made it to office, they felt the urge for revolution.
Chronic corruption was also a reason for Arab Spring in Egypt. Corruption had been at the centre of Egypt’s administration and had been part of the working mechanism of the Egyptian government. It got so flawed and politicized that no auditing was permitted for the government. This was due to the involvement of administrative officers in government who had been involved in corruption cases. [15]. This led several social groups to try to gain roots in several institutions so that they could prosper through illegal activities such as the evasion of taxes. The corruption level was so severe that it extended to small government institutions and even went further to non-governmental bodies such as voluntary organizations, business syndicates and parties who wanted to get a share of the government. This led to increased margination with less government aid and repression of any move that attempted to uncover corruption.
Fair elections mean that the voice of the people is heard. But if elections have been rigged, it implies that people’s grievances cannot be heard. The elections that took place as the first since his rising as president were the first kind of elections that had many parties, five in number. However, President Mubarak facilitated ragging in the election so that his own party could take a crushing victory of more than 87% out of the five political parties in the country. This was made possible by making electoral laws that could only favour the ruling party to take the lead in the election.[16]. During the second election in 1987, although the opposition had increased the number of parliamentary seats, they continued with rigging claims. Rigging claims were confirmed by the court in 2000 when the court said the elections were unlawful. This followed all the polls, and before the revolution, people were tired of how Mubarak won the votes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Arab spring was a struggle and desire for economic change, leadership, rights and fair elections. The reasons that led to the Arab revolution in Egypt were solid; however, it is unfortunate that even after the course, the reasons that had led to the process were not adequately addressed. But instead, a new regime rose to power, and the problems escalated.
Bibliographies
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Havard Divinity School. 2023. “Arab Spring in Egypt, The.” Rpl.hds.harvard.edu. March 13, 2023. https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/faq/arab-spring-egypt.
Kenyon, Peter. 2011. “For Decades, Mubarak Ruled with Heavy Hand.” NPR.org. February 11, 2011. https://www.npr.org/2011/02/11/133665161/egypts-mubarak-a-cautious-heavy-handed-ruler.
Michaelson, Ruth. 2020. “Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian President Ousted during Arab Spring, Dies at 91.” The Guardian. February 25, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/25/hosni-mubarak-egyptian-president-ousted-during-arab-spring-dies-at-91.
Mohamed, Salah S. Abdou. n.d. “Egyptian Revolution Causes, Incidents and Results.” Www.academia.edu. Accessed March 28, 2023. https://www.academia.edu/4244574/Egyptian_Revolution_Causes_Incidents_and_Results.
Radwan, Samir. 2009. “Economic and Social Imapct of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Egypt.” International Labour Organization. April 14, 2009. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—africa/—ro-abidjan/—sro-cairo/documents/publication/wcms_243809.pdf.
[1] Radwan, Samir. 2009. “Economic and Social Imapct of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Egypt.” International Labour Organization. April 14, 2009. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—africa/—ro-abidjan/—sro-cairo/documents/publication/wcms_243809.pdf.
[2] Havard Divinity School. 2023. “Arab Spring in Egypt, The.” Rpl.hds.harvard.edu. March 13, 2023. https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/faq/arab-spring-egypt.
[3] Radwan, Samir. 2009. “Economic and Social Imapct of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Egypt.” International Labour Organization. April 14, 2009. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—africa/—ro-abidjan/—sro-cairo/documents/publication/wcms_243809.pdf.
[4] Radwan, Samir. 2009. “Economic and Social Imapct of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Egypt.” International Labour Organization. April 14, 2009. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—africa/—ro-abidjan/—sro-cairo/documents/publication/wcms_243809.pdf.
[5] Radwan, Samir. 2009. “Economic and Social Imapct of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Egypt.” International Labour Organization. April 14, 2009. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—africa/—ro-abidjan/—sro-cairo/documents/publication/wcms_243809.pdf.
[6] Radwan, Samir. 2009. “Economic and Social Imapct of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Egypt.” International Labour Organization. April 14, 2009. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—africa/—ro-abidjan/—sro-cairo/documents/publication/wcms_243809.pdf.
[7] Kenyon, Peter. 2011. “For Decades, Mubarak Ruled with Heavy Hand.” NPR.org. February 11, 2011. https://www.npr.org/2011/02/11/133665161/egypts-mubarak-a-cautious-heavy-handed-ruler.
[8] Kenyon, Peter. 2011. “For Decades, Mubarak Ruled with Heavy Hand.” NPR.org. February 11, 2011. https://www.npr.org/2011/02/11/133665161/egypts-mubarak-a-cautious-heavy-handed-ruler.
[9] Michaelson, Ruth. 2020. “Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian President Ousted during Arab Spring, Dies at 91.” The Guardian. February 25, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/25/hosni-mubarak-egyptian-president-ousted-during-arab-spring-dies-at-91.
[10] Douglas, Crystal, Andrea Fischer, Kim Fletcher, Amanda Guidero, Marcus Marktanner, Luc Noiset, and Maureen Wilson. 2014. “ICAT Working Paper Series the Arab Uprisings: Causes, Consequences and Perspectives an Extended Summary of a Panel Discussion with Rami Khouri.” https://icat.kennesaw.edu/docs/pubs/RK_Final_Paper.pdf.
[11] Douglas, Crystal, Andrea Fischer, Kim Fletcher, Amanda Guidero, Marcus Marktanner, Luc Noiset, and Maureen Wilson. 2014. “ICAT Working Paper Series the Arab Uprisings: Causes, Consequences and Perspectives an Extended Summary of a Panel Discussion with Rami Khouri.” https://icat.kennesaw.edu/docs/pubs/RK_Final_Paper.pdf.
[12] Mohamed, Salah S. Abdou. n.d. “Egyptian Revolution Causes, Incidents and Results.” Www.academia.edu. Accessed March 28, 2023. https://www.academia.edu/4244574/Egyptian_Revolution_Causes_Incidents_and_Results.
[13] Douglas, Crystal, Andrea Fischer, Kim Fletcher, Amanda Guidero, Marcus Marktanner, Luc Noiset, and Maureen Wilson. 2014. “ICAT Working Paper Series the Arab Uprisings: Causes, Consequences and Perspectives an Extended Summary of a Panel Discussion with Rami Khouri.” https://icat.kennesaw.edu/docs/pubs/RK_Final_Paper.pdf.
[14] Mohamed, Salah S. Abdou. n.d. “Egyptian Revolution Causes, Incidents and Results.” Www.academia.edu. Accessed March 28, 2023.
[15] Mohamed, Salah S. Abdou. n.d. “Egyptian Revolution Causes, Incidents and Results.” Www.academia.edu. Accessed March 28, 2023. https://www.academia.edu/4244574/Egyptian_Revolution_Causes_Incidents_and_Results.
[16] Mohamed, Salah S. Abdou. n.d. “Egyptian Revolution Causes, Incidents and Results.” Www.academia.edu. Accessed March 28, 2023. https://www.academia.edu/4244574/Egyptian_Revolution_Causes_Incidents_and_Results.
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