ABSTRACT
As Gamal Abdel Nasser's successor, Anwar as-Sadat took Egypt in new directions, away from state control of the economy and Soviet influence and toward lasting peace with Israel. Joining the Free Officers, a group of nationalist army officers led by Nasser, Sadat participated in the coup that overthrew the pro-British monarchy in 1952. In 1953 he founded a newspaper, The Republic, which became the organ of Nasser's one-party state. He loyally served Nasser's regime, rising to the post of vice president in 1964. Anwar as-Sadat's courageous decision to establish diplomatic relations with Israel set a precedent that other Arab states followed two decades later. His death marked the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, which was hostile to secular government and peace with Israel. Egypt's economic woes were linked to government corruption and inefficiency, problems that Sadat's regime never adequately addressed despite its efforts to democratize its political culture.
