Classless Politics: Islamist Movements, the Left, and Authoritarian Legacies in Egypt (Columbia Studies in Middle East Politics)

Since the 1970s, the Egyptian state has embarked on a far-reaching and destabilizing project of economic liberalization, reneging on its commitments to social welfare. Despite widespread socioeconomic grievances stemming from these policies, class politics and battles over wealth redistribution have largely been sidelined from elite-led national politics. Instead, conflicts over identity have raged, as Islamist movements became increasingly prominent political players. Classless Politics offers a counterintuitive account of the relationship between neoliberal economics and Islamist politics in Egypt that sheds new light on the worldwide trend of “more identity, less class.” Hesham Sallam examines why Islamist movements have gained support at the expense of the left, even amid conflicts over the costs of economic reforms. Rather than highlighting the stagnancy of the left or the agility of Islamists, he pinpoints the historical legacies of authoritarian survival strategies. As the regime resorted to economic liberalization in the 1970s, it tacitly opened political space for Islamist movements to marginalize its leftist opponents. In the long run, this policy led to the fragmentation of opponents of economic reform, the increased salience of cultural conflicts within the left, and the restructuring of political life around questions of national and religious identity. Historically rich and theoretically insightful, this book demonstrates how the participation of Islamist groups shapes the politics of neoliberal reform and addresses why economic liberalization since the 1970s has contributed to the surge in culture wars around the world today. "Why do some autocrats allow Islamist movements political space while others exclude them from state-managed political contestation, and what impact does the participation of Islamist movements in politics have on existing opposition to economic liberalization? Employing cross-historical analysis, this book argues that the story of Islamist incorporation is intimately linked to the state's struggle to move beyond the redistributive social pact that emerged under President Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Specifically, political leaders have opened space toward Islamist movements in an attempt to contain opposition to de-Nasserization policies, which limited state sponsored redistributive schemes and welfare programs. The political ascendancy of Islamist movements has weakened opposition to economic liberalization schemes by activating and deepening identity-based divides among proponents of redistribution, particularly the leftist opposition. More broadly, the emergence of Islamists as dominant political actors has crowded out conflicts over redistribution of wealth in national politics in favor of culture wars and battles over the religious identity of the state. This book contributes to our understanding of the role of identity politics and culture wars in advancing economic liberalization"-- Provided by publisher "Why do some autocrats allow Islamist movements political space while others exclude them from state-managed political contestation, and what impact does the participation of Islamist movements in politics have on existing opposition to economic liberalization? Employing cross-historical analysis, this book argues that the story of Islamist incorporation is intimately linked to the state's struggle to move beyond the redistributive social pact that emerged under President Gamal Abdel-Nasser. Specifically, political leaders have opened space toward Islamist movements in an attempt to contain opposition to de-Nasserization policies, which limited state sponsored redistributive schemes and welfare programs. The political ascendancy of Islamist movements has weakened opposition to economic liberalization schemes by activating and deepening identity-based divides among proponents of redistribution, particularly the leftist opposition. More broadly, the emergence of Islamists as dominant political actors has crowded out conflicts over redistribution of wealth in national politics in favor of culture wars and battles over the religious identity of the state. This book contributes to our understanding of the role of identity politics and culture wars in advancing economic liberalization"-- Résumé de l'éditeur