Summary

by Rami G. Khouri

It is tempting to make definitive judgments about the meaning of the extraordinary stages of Egyptian political life since then, but also reckless.

The economy, real incomes and job-creation all remain insufficient in the face of the Egyptians’ basic needs, while the population continues to grow by some 1.5 million people every year.

The capacity of the Egyptian economy to meet these needs is limited.

Many who ousted the Mubarak regime now fervently support the Sisi government, and they may opt for other saviors in a few months or years.

Egypt’s joining this club of police state-style governance is a sad day for the Arab world, but it is also most likely a stage that we must pass through, not a permanent condition. When another 5 million Egyptians are born in the coming three years, the Gulf states tire of supporting a weak Egyptian economy, and basic human needs for tens of millions of Egyptians deteriorate even further, we should expect some kind of reaction that is impossible to predict now.

– See more at: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Columnist/2014/Dec-03/279683-egypt-is-sad-but-also-hard-to-read.ashx#sthash.ad8Ekb2p.dpuf