Bread, Freedom, Social Justice: Workers and the Egyptian Revolution

27,00 (με ΦΠΑ)

Συγγραφέας: Anne Alexander, Mostafa Bassiouny
Εκδόσεις: Zed, 2014
Σελίδες: 388
ISBN: 9781780324302

  • Προϊόν Συγγραφέας: Anne Alexander, Mostafa Bassiouny
  • Προϊόν Εκδότης: Zed

Περιγραφή

Accounts of the 'Arab Spring' have often focussed on the role of youth coalitions, the use of social media, and the tactics of the Tahrir Square occupation. This authoritative and original book argues that collective action by organised workers played a fundamental role in the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions; which were themselves the inevitable consequence to several years of strikes, including localised revolts in Tunisia's phosphate mines and Egypt's textile mills, dress rehearsals for the 2011 revolutions. Strikes in the last few days of the Ben Ali and Mubarak regimes were a crucial factor in their removal from power and the lack of organised workers in Syria, the authors argue, explains why regime change has taken so much longer and the continuation of these unprecedented workers movements pose a serious challenge to a neo-liberal version of post-revolutionary stability, which will have repercussions across the region.

 

Review
'Here is at last a book on Egypt that acknowledges and traces the pivotal role of the workers in the sequence of events that led to the gigantic uprising of January-February 2011, and the subsequent unfolding of the revolutionary process. In a field dominated by studies focusing exclusively on political movements and state apparatus, this is a most welcome and important contribution' Professor Gilbert Achcar, SOAS, University of London, and author of The People Want: A Radical Exploration of the Arab Uprising 'One of the best accounts on the Egyptian revolution, its underlying causes and its aftermath. The book is an accessible and in-depth read for both specialists and non-specialists alike, not only deciphering the workings of one of the most important political events in recent years, but also providing a comprehensive analysis of structural changes in modern Egypt.' Rabab El Mahdi, The American University in Cairo 'In this engaging and immensely readable text, Alexander and Bassiouny confirm their position as two of the most astute observers of Egypt's labour movements. Firmly grounded in recent debates around neoliberalism, capitalism and the Egyptian state - and drawing upon a wealth of fascinating first-hand accounts - this book provides many critical insights into Egyptian workers and their ongoing struggles. It deserves to be very widely read.' Adam Hanieh, SOAS, University of London 'This is an intriguing and detailed account of why the role of the working class needs to be put centre stage in understanding the toppling of Hosni Mubarak. The authors provide insight and analytical rigour in documenting and accounting for the growth and dynamism of independent trade unions in "revolutionary" Egypt. A must read for those who want to know how and why the working class is essential to understanding political and economic crisis in Egypt.' Professor Ray Bush, University of Leeds

About the Authors
Dr Anne Alexander is Buckley Fellow, Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH) at the University of Cambridge, UK.

Mostafa Bassiouny is one of the best-known labour journalists in Egypt with close political and personal relationships with union activists.

Επιπρόσθετες Πληροφορίες

Συγγραφέας

Εκδότης