ABSTRACT
I will never accept corruption even from my closest relatives. Egypt is not the private estate of its ruler.
Introduction Upon Sadat’s assassination in 1981, Hosni Mubarak assumed power and was initially regarded by many as an interim president. In his early years, he attempted to build consensus, tolerate opposition and promote partnership between the private and public sectors. Through extensive diplomatic efforts, he also led Egypt’s reconciliation with other Arab countries after relations had been severed following Sadat’s signing of the 1979 Camp David Accords. Yet it was during his presidency that the seeds for unprecedented popular mobilization would be sown, only to be reaped on February 12, 2011, when he was forced to step down. This chapter will investigate the political economy of the first two decades of the Mubarak regime. It will also explore the evolving relationship between the labor and student movement with the regime as it continued to roll back some of the socio-economic privileges of ‘Nasser’s bargain.’2
