In the winter of 1939-40 the German Marxist critic Walter Benjamin wrote a remarkable text known as “Theses on the Philosophy of History”. In it he attacked the widespread belief on the left that socialism would come about inevitably, as… Continue Reading
The beginning of the 1990s saw Hosni Mubarak start to implement World Bank and IMF policies, including a “structural adjustment programme”, privatisation and attacks on workers’ rights.1 The old centres of the working class, such as Mahalla, Kafr al-Dawwar and… Continue Reading
Egyptian workers’ dramatic revival of strikes is a direct challenge to those who argue that the working class in the Middle East—or in the Third World more generally—has been economically and politically marginalised. The strikes have often been very successful… Continue Reading
Egypt’s ruler, Mubarak, shocked the country at the end of February by suddenly announcing a change in the constitution to allow more than one candidate to stand in this autumn’s planned presidential election. There has never been such a multi-candidate… Continue Reading