Comments on: Rural Egypt’s Return to the Ancien Regime http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:32:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Paul http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390429 Paul Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:45:57 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390429 I agree with Dan on this one, it is a rather tiresome refrain about all the stuff the press misses. while it's true that most of the time the press only covers Israel/Palestine, world disasters and Britney Spears, a lot of the other stuff still finds its way in. It's interesting to hear more about the land issue. The law was passed in 1992, ignored during the five year grace period, and then riots erupted in 1997 -- causing the government to freeze implementation. Still, though, this is not a wholesale reversal of the land reform, as I understand it, but just making life tougher for the renters while the majority of peasants own their land outright -- in tiny one or two feddan patches. Economically speaking, of course, it's more efficient and productive to have large farms rather than small ones. They formed cooperatives and all that back in the 60s in Egypt, but I understand they don't function all that well. Problem is, if you consolidate the lands into massive, efficient, agro-industrial enterprises, what do you do with all the people who used to work there? The cities are already rather full. I agree with Dan on this one, it is a rather tiresome refrain about all the stuff the press misses. while it’s true that most of the time the press only covers Israel/Palestine, world disasters and Britney Spears, a lot of the other stuff still finds its way in.

It’s interesting to hear more about the land issue. The law was passed in 1992, ignored during the five year grace period, and then riots erupted in 1997 — causing the government to freeze implementation.

Still, though, this is not a wholesale reversal of the land reform, as I understand it, but just making life tougher for the renters while the majority of peasants own their land outright — in tiny one or two feddan patches.

Economically speaking, of course, it’s more efficient and productive to have large farms rather than small ones. They formed cooperatives and all that back in the 60s in Egypt, but I understand they don’t function all that well.

Problem is, if you consolidate the lands into massive, efficient, agro-industrial enterprises, what do you do with all the people who used to work there? The cities are already rather full.

]]> By: arabist http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390396 arabist Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:04:51 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390396 You're quite right, it's been covered a lot by Egyptian media and some major US outlets such as yours. Perhaps the authors were referring to the French media, since the article was originally written in French? But I think Le Figaro did something too... Still, the article serves as a good intro to the issue. You’re quite right, it’s been covered a lot by Egyptian media and some major US outlets such as yours. Perhaps the authors were referring to the French media, since the article was originally written in French? But I think Le Figaro did something too…

Still, the article serves as a good intro to the issue.

]]> By: Dan http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390394 Dan Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:22:10 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390394 Not that relevant, but i hate when articles say x "has been ignored by the media" when, A. The article is in the media and, B. The issue has been covered before. I did a story about this two years ago, though nowhere near in depth. I'm sure there are many others... Not a knock on what i think is a useful and important article, but i hate that crap. http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0506/p01s02-wome.html Not that relevant, but i hate when articles say x “has been ignored by the media” when, A. The article is in the media and, B. The issue has been covered before. I did a story about this two years ago, though nowhere near in depth. I’m sure there are many others…

Not a knock on what i think is a useful and important article, but i hate that crap.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0506/p01s02-wome.html

]]> By: Rural Egypt’s Return to the Ancien Regime at 3arabawy http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390376 Rural Egypt’s Return to the Ancien Regime at 3arabawy Tue, 16 Oct 2007 21:39:58 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390376 [...] The Arabist… When Che Guevara visited Egypt in 1965, President Gamal Abdel Nasser took him to Kamshish, a [...] [...] The Arabist… When Che Guevara visited Egypt in 1965, President Gamal Abdel Nasser took him to Kamshish, a [...]

]]> By: Rashad http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390375 Rashad Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:34:24 +0000 http://arabist.net/archives/2007/10/16/rural-egypts-return-to-the-ancien-regime/#comment-390375 I'd be curious to see what impact this has had on farm production. One problem facing small farmers is their lack of access to capital, and thus productive things like tractors and fertilizer, etc. They can of course get around this by doing things like farmers cooperatives and the like, but I can't imagine that kind of thing is common in Egypt. Most economists would probably see the concentration of land as a good thing, allowing for more efficient production. This would be a good test case, though I'm pretty skeptical. I’d be curious to see what impact this has had on farm production. One problem facing small farmers is their lack of access to capital, and thus productive things like tractors and fertilizer, etc. They can of course get around this by doing things like farmers cooperatives and the like, but I can’t imagine that kind of thing is common in Egypt.

Most economists would probably see the concentration of land as a good thing, allowing for more efficient production. This would be a good test case, though I’m pretty skeptical.

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