The Rise of Egyptian Communism, 1939-1970

By Selma Botman

Selma Botman examines the virtually unknown history of communism in Egypt during the twentieth-century. In an original and well-documented study, the author has traced the development of the revolutionary left using political court cases, interviews with political activists, and literature from the communist movement itself.

In the post-World War II period, Egyptian communists operated in an environment of extreme secrecy and periodic repression. While the communist movement never became a mainstream political force or had realistic capabilities for overthrowing the royalist regime, its importance and influence were much larger than its numbers imply. Egyptian Marxists had a significant ideological impact on Egyptian society, especially among the intelligentsia and to a lesser degree among trade unionists. Moreover, they were present at key moments of nationalist, student, and working-class militancy. The revolutionary left also contributed to the destabilization of the constitutional monarchy and the worn-out Wafd Party, the premier nationalist organization in Egypt, and helped pave the way for the emergence of Gamal Abdul Nasser and the Free Officers movement of 1952.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815624433
• ISBN13: 9780815624431
• Release Date: August 1988
• Publisher: Syracuse University Press
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.3"