As a proud Egyptian, I would like to write on this forum a neutral analysis of what happened in Egypt.
Note: This is not a summary of what's going on (Refer to this topic for a summary: Link).
BACKGROUND:
After the former Egyptian president, Sadat, got assassinated in 1981, Mubarak who was the vice president of Egypt took power. Initially, he was a popular person in Egypt since he was the soldier who destroyed israeli tanks during the 1973 war. Indeed that means he was in the army. He also came from a economically poor family. He is the 4th president of modern Egypt.
During Mubarak's rule he didn't have a vice president.
Mubarak ruled for 30 years and still rules. During his rule Egypt witnessed much corruption. There was economic and political corruption. Political corruption was seen during the elections. Mubarak would never allow international bodies to keep an eye on the elections. And supposedly, he also won the election 5 times, thus far (A term in Egypt is 6 years).
Economic corruption was what bothered people the most. Prices would always get raised and never go down. Wages would always stay the same even though the prices of commodities increased. Many of the country's facilities got soled to private foreign companies who often exploited them. A joke was said that the only thing left for the government to sell was the pyramids. No TRUE, economic development was made in Egypt, and for example while int eh past Egypt used to feed the ancient world, today Egypt is the biggest wheat importer in the world! Mubarak put business men into his government, and they never gave up on their companies. As a result they often led corrupt agendas to support their business. There were very few noble ministers during Mubarak's time. Furthermore, during Mubarak's reign people's morals steadily deteriorated as rape crimes increased in a scary way. People also got many horrible diseases from the lack of food and living style. The gap between the rich and the poor become massive that there was no true middle class in Egypt. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer.
Also there was monopolies made by some people in the country, most notably Ahmed Ezz also known as the "Steel Guy". He has a monopoly on Egypt's steel. He was also a prominent icon of corruptions and he was in the People's Parliament. He was known for a strong friendship with the president's son, Gamal Mubarak.
Also people continued to think to think that Egypt would be like Syria, and the president son would be his father's successor after he dies. What sparked this assumption was that president Mubarak has no vice president and he put his son as the ruling National Party's secretary.
In Egypt there was no true opposition party, even though Egypt has a couple of opposition political parties. The ruling party was in control of everything.
But things were not all black during Mubarak's reign. Egypt witnessed the biggest freedoms than any other time. The press could freely attack the government's policies and corrupt people (though you couldn't say much about the president). Egypt was the most open and free than any other Arab country. It still is.
If anyone is reading this please post and I will continue.
Note: This is not a summary of what's going on (Refer to this topic for a summary: Link).
BACKGROUND:
After the former Egyptian president, Sadat, got assassinated in 1981, Mubarak who was the vice president of Egypt took power. Initially, he was a popular person in Egypt since he was the soldier who destroyed israeli tanks during the 1973 war. Indeed that means he was in the army. He also came from a economically poor family. He is the 4th president of modern Egypt.
During Mubarak's rule he didn't have a vice president.
Mubarak ruled for 30 years and still rules. During his rule Egypt witnessed much corruption. There was economic and political corruption. Political corruption was seen during the elections. Mubarak would never allow international bodies to keep an eye on the elections. And supposedly, he also won the election 5 times, thus far (A term in Egypt is 6 years).
Economic corruption was what bothered people the most. Prices would always get raised and never go down. Wages would always stay the same even though the prices of commodities increased. Many of the country's facilities got soled to private foreign companies who often exploited them. A joke was said that the only thing left for the government to sell was the pyramids. No TRUE, economic development was made in Egypt, and for example while int eh past Egypt used to feed the ancient world, today Egypt is the biggest wheat importer in the world! Mubarak put business men into his government, and they never gave up on their companies. As a result they often led corrupt agendas to support their business. There were very few noble ministers during Mubarak's time. Furthermore, during Mubarak's reign people's morals steadily deteriorated as rape crimes increased in a scary way. People also got many horrible diseases from the lack of food and living style. The gap between the rich and the poor become massive that there was no true middle class in Egypt. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer.
Also there was monopolies made by some people in the country, most notably Ahmed Ezz also known as the "Steel Guy". He has a monopoly on Egypt's steel. He was also a prominent icon of corruptions and he was in the People's Parliament. He was known for a strong friendship with the president's son, Gamal Mubarak.
Also people continued to think to think that Egypt would be like Syria, and the president son would be his father's successor after he dies. What sparked this assumption was that president Mubarak has no vice president and he put his son as the ruling National Party's secretary.
In Egypt there was no true opposition party, even though Egypt has a couple of opposition political parties. The ruling party was in control of everything.
But things were not all black during Mubarak's reign. Egypt witnessed the biggest freedoms than any other time. The press could freely attack the government's policies and corrupt people (though you couldn't say much about the president). Egypt was the most open and free than any other Arab country. It still is.
If anyone is reading this please post and I will continue.