Description
Contributing to debates both on the political liberalization and democratization in the Third World, and on the modern and contemporary history of Egypt, Kienle (Middle East politics, U. of London) examines recent political developments in the country, and critiques and transcends the interpretation of its history in term of a transition to democracy. He advocates emphasizing not only ruptures and discontinuities, but also continuities. Distributed in the US by St. Martin's Press. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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The recent history and politics of Egypt illuminates the tortuous and often contradictory relationship between liberalization and democracy in Third World countries. Eberhard Kienle argues that the much-vaunted reform and liberalization of Egypt’s economy has been partial and selective, far from benefiting everybody. The author looks at how economic reform and liberalization have failed to produce a greater degree of political democracy: notions of elective pluralism, political accountability, clean elections, a genuinely free press, and the containment of police powers, which have turned out to be a great delusion masking restrictions on political participation and civil liberties. This book will shed much light on the dilemma between political and economic reform faced by so many developing countries today.
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