MER Article Egypt's Agriculture in Trouble The horrendous state of the Egyptian economy is a principal factor underlying Sadat’s willingness to address the Knesset in Jerusalem and to make major concessions at Camp David and since. Multiplying shortages, deteriorating infrastructures, and spiraling foreign debts comprise the economic news on Alan Richards • 33 min read
MER Article Gran, Islamic Roots of Capitalism Peter Gran, Islamic Roots of Capitalism: Egypt, 1760-1840 (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1979). Eric Davis • 6 min read
MER Article Egyptian Communist Party Communique: "The Elimination of All Voices Opposing the Treaty” An Egyptian Communist Party was first established in the 1918-1920 period, but was not active again until after 1939. In this period, through the late 1950s, there were several communist organizations, the principal one being the Democratic Union for National Liberation. Following the 1952 revolutio (Author not identified) • 6 min read
MER Article A Very Strange Peace Rarely in history has a peace settlement seemed so dismal. The Treaty of Washington between Egypt and Israel was signed on March 26, 1979. Since then there has been little excitement in Egypt about this new era in the nation’s contemporary history. There were several more or less spontaneous gatheri Marie-Christine Aulas • 10 min read
MER Article The Cares of Umm Muhammad Nagya Muhammad al-Bakr -- known as Umm Muhammad, mother of Muhammad -- is 37 years old and works as a hospital attendant in the Heart Institute in Imbaba, Cairo. She is married to Bayoumi ‘Abd al-Baqi and has eight children. This interview, excerpted and translated from the Arabic by MERIP editor Ju Nagya Muhammad al-Bakr • 13 min read
MER Article Textile Workers of Shubra al-Khayma Dire material necessity is increasingly forcing Egyptian women to take up wage labor. Job conditions are poor, pay is low and social sanctions are heavy. Women make up 12 percent of the Egyptian industrial workforce, concentrated in textiles, food industries and pharmaceuticals. In textiles, an impo Mona Hammam • 18 min read
MER Article "No to the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty" The Progressive Assembly of National Unionists was established in 1977 as the official “left” party of Egypt. One of three legal national parties, its leadership was drawn from the ranks of leftist intellectuals, some former communists, who had chosen during the Nasser era to work within the Arab So Progressive Assembly • 12 min read
MER Article European Leaders Unhappy with Sadat-Begin Treaty In the view of leading European politicians, statesmen and journalists, the “peace” treaty signed between Egypt and Israel in March is more of a liability than a promising asset in their governments’ attempts to forge better relations with the Arab world. Many see it as a prelude to further conflict Pamela Ann Smith • 10 min read
MER Article Sadat's "New Democracy" On April 5 the president of Egypt spoke for two and a half hours before the People’s Assembly, explaining and defending his peace treaty with Israel. Such was the “public debate” on the treaty. Sadat gratuitously added that “as of today” there would be no restrictions on political parties, and pledg A Special Correspondent • 2 min read
MER Article Impact of the World Market on Egyptian Women Published in MERIP Reports 58 (June 1977): • 15 min read
