ABSTRACT
The landlord–businessman-banker clique that dominated the social order of Egypt was of foreign origin, or even foreign born: the upper classes were more Turkish, Jewish, Lebanese, and Greek than Egyptian. The most important and explosive was anti–British nationalism, which emerged as an important force in the cities after World War I and helped forge an alliance between the swarming poor of the cities and the new middle and expanding upper classes. In an equally significant move, moderate forces within the army were dealt a decisive blow by the displacement of General Naguib as head of the Revolutionary Command Council. Nationalism is by far the most potent religion in Egypt and, indeed, in the whole Third World. The elements in this philosphy seem to be Islam, militarism, nationalism, harmony among the classes in the interest of national unity, a single party that all are invited to join, and state direction of the economy.
