Rise of Egyptian Communism, 1939-1970

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.

Author: Selma Botman
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Published: 08/01/1988
Pages: 212
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
Size: 9.33h x 6.12w x 0.94d
ISBN: 9780815624431

About the Author
Selma Botman is provost and vice president of academic affairs at Yeshiva University. She is the author of Egypt from Independence to Revolution, 1919-1952.