2 - Hegemony in Egypt

Summary

The second chapter revisits Gamal Abdel Nasser and the 1952 revolution. Focusing on the emergence of Nasserism, I argue that it represents the first and last hegemonic project in modern Egypt. Nasserism can be understood as a collective will that was produced in a particular historical moment – one that was formed against the dangers of imperialism and the hopes of a postcolonial project. Nasserism was also, however, an articulation of an elitist state-led project of decolonization that centred the military, the state, and capitalism, leaving powerful legacies that would haunt Egypt’s future. Exploring these contradictions, the chapter charts a history of Nasserism through Fanon and Gramsci, thinking through anticolonial nationalism, state-led capitalism, third wordlism, the colonial international, and hegemony. I argue that the creation and then decline of Nasserism as a hegemonic project is central to understanding contemporary Egyptian politics. The chapter looks specifically at the anticolonial movements predating 1952; the creation of the Free Officers and new historical bloc; the creation of consent in civil society; and some of the paradigmatic events of anticolonialism in Egypt, such as the nationalisation of the Suez Canal.