The Egyptian Social Contract - by Relli Shechter (Paperback)

About the Book

Examines state-middle class reciprocities in the making, persistence and failure of the Egyptian social contract

Book Synopsis

The Egyptian Social Contract explores the intricacies of the relationship between the state and its citizens, from the establishment of the semi-independent Egyptian nation in 1922 until the 2011 Uprising. The book studies how and why a social contract that had been reformed in the aftermath of World War II became the core of state-citizen relations under President Nasser. It further explores the long and tortuous search for a new social contract in Egypt since the 1970s.
Relli Shechter looks at how this social contract channelled socioeconomic development over time, creating an Egyptian middle-class society. Shechter probes a political economy in which class vision and interests in development intertwined with the rise and entrenchment of authoritarianism. The perseverance of this social contract has mostly inhibited socioeconomic and political reforms, or the making of a new social contract, in Egypt. Such reforms would have challenged Egypt's ruling elite, and no less so its middle-class society.

From the Back Cover

Examines state-middle class reciprocities in the making, persistence and failure of the Egyptian social contract The Egyptian Social Contract explores the intricacies of the relationship between the state and its citizens, from the establishment of the semi-independent Egyptian nation in 1922 until the 2011 Uprising. The book studies how and why a social contract that had been reformed in the aftermath of World War II became the core of state-citizen relations under President Nasser. It further explores the long and tortuous search for a new social contract in Egypt since the 1970s. Relli Shechter looks at how this social contract channelled socioeconomic development over time, creating an Egyptian middle-class society. Shechter probes a political economy in which class vision and interests in development intertwined with the rise and entrenchment of authoritarianism. The perseverance of this social contract has mostly inhibited socioeconomic and political reforms, or the making of a new social contract, in Egypt. Such reforms would have challenged Egypt's ruling elite, and no less so its middle-class society. Key Features  Foregrounds the social history of state-citizen relations  Explores the intricacies of both the formal and informal layers of Egypt's social contract, as well as the gaps between the two  Investigates how the Egyptian social contract interacted with changing global trends in socioeconomic development and governance  Employs public discourse, legislation and the analysis of institutional capacity and state allocation in an innovative, interdisciplinary study of the social contract  Provides a rich context for our understanding of the contemporary search for a new social contract in Egypt and the Middle East Relli Shechter is an Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of Middle East Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.

Review Quotes

Relli Shechter has provided a carefully reasoned, well-documented, in-depth political economic study that provides unparalleled insight into the historical making of the current economic and social crisis in Egypt. By using the concept of the social contract he has theoretically broken new ground in understanding Egyptian state-citizen relations that moves beyond the conventional authoritarian bargain.

--Roel Meijer, Radboud University

The term "social contract" has been a staple of writings on Egyptian politics for half a century. With precision and an intrepid willingness to re-examine long-accepted claims, Shechter shows that the contract, its origin and evolution, and even the identity and behavior of the contracting parties, have been profoundly misunderstood.

--Nathan Brown, George Washington University

In this insightful volume, Shechter (Ben-Gurion Univ. of the Negev, Israel) advances historians' understandings of modern Egyptian political history [...] Recommended.--S. Waalkes, Malone University "CHOICE, January 2024"

About the Author

Relli Shechter is an Associate Professor and Chair, The Department of Middle East Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. He received his PhD from Harvard University. His most recent book is The Rise of the Egyptian Middle Class: Socio-Economic Mobility and Public Discontent from Nasser to Sadat (Cambridge University Press, 2018).