Neoliberalism, the State and Economic Policy Outcomes in the Post-Arab Uprisings: The Case of Egypt

Decentring Norms in EU Relations with the Southern Neighbourhood

“…This tension was very visible in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings when mainstream Islamist movements like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Ennahda in Tunisia faced criticism from other Islamic actors for being too liberal economically and failing to devise policies embodying a just social order. For example, the debate in Egypt on austerity measures to negotiate an International Monetary Fund loan for the country seriously damaged the credentials of President Morsi, after he had stressed the social justice dimension of his programme to attract votes from poor segments of the population (Joya, 2016; Merone, 2015; Vannetzel, 2017).…”

Food Sovereignty and the Struggle for Socio‐economic Justice in North Africa

“…These struggles resulted in the consolidation and restoration of authoritarian rule under Abdel Fatah al Sisi, who has served as Egypt's president since 2014. Under Sisi's rule, the Egyptian state has reasserted an overt role in the management of the economy, yet socio‐economic difficulties remain daunting for a large portion of Egyptians who struggle with rising costs, unemployment and a renewed environment of fear and suspicion created by the state (Joya, 2017; World Bank, 2020). While Tunisia has been characterized as the one Arab state that successfully transitioned to democracy, critics argue that the interests of workers, peasants and unemployed youth have not yet been adequately met (Hartshorn, 2018: 123–61; King, 2020: 71–95).…”

Devout Neoliberalism?! Explaining Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood's Socio-economic Perspective and Policies

“…It embraced economic freedom, market competition, and called for decreasing public spending. According to Khattab (2012), 7 the FJP “believes that a market economy that is based on free and fair competition is the right mechanism to achieve development and to raise the economic well-being of citizens.” The FJP's outlook also emphasized the role of domestic and foreign investments in supporting the Egyptian economy by creating jobs, strengthening the manufacturing sector, and achieving development. According to Hasan Malek, “manufacturing, a trained labor force and enabling the private sector are the solution to Egypt's economic slump”.…”