NASSER IN POWER

NASSER IN POWER

By Lanie Corrigan, Simogne Hudson, Max Mendola, Laura Mitchell, Steven

Soo, Ariana Stuart

FOREIGN POLICY• NON-ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT

– After the African-Asian Bandung Conference in Indonesia (1955), Nasser embraced positive neutralism*

– Wanted to make Egypt completely independent of outside control

• USA– Nasser was very anti-imperialist and maintained

only a civil relationship with the US in the 50s

• USSR– Tense relationship because Nasser refused to

accept communism*During the Cold War, Positive Neutralism was the act of non-alignment with USA and Russia.

SUEZ CRISIS (1956)• August 4, 19 Nasser announces that he is going to

nationalize the Suez canal. • In September, Israel, Britain, and France stage a coup

– Stopped by the United Nations (sort of)• Results:

– Nasser is viewed as a hero by Egyptians and neighboring states

– Relationships between USSR improve– UN peacekeepers patrol– Relationship with Israel is bad– Rest of world starts to consider Egyptian area a sphere of

influence

Domestic Policy• Political

– June 1956, New Constitution– Islam was a state religion– Egypt was part of Arab nation– Government included: president, council of

ministers, and national assembly – National union replaced all political parties – First election in 1957 included women’s suffrage

• Economic– Nasser continued nationalization “Egyptianization”– 1958, five year plan set in motion– Nasser disappointed by results (corruption and

low productivity)

The United Arab Republic• 1958-Egypt unites with Syria to establish UAR

• Motivated by increased security for Egypt and opportunity for improved economy

• Ended after a coup in 1961

Post UAR• Nasser blames collapse on

bourgeoisie• Afraid capitalists had

dominated political and social media

• Nasser pushed for “Arab Socialism” by nationalizing private property

ARAB SOCIALISM

• Economic:– First Five Year plan in 1958– Radical land reform; limit on private property, and

a system of cooperatives • Political:– Government restructured in 1963 after the

National Charter– “Military bureaucratic society”– Reorganized Military

ECONOMIC PROBLEMS• Population

– At first wanted more people for bigger army– Country couldn’t support growing population– Islam’s opposition toward birth control made population control difficult

• Class Struggle– A new elite class formed from members of gov.– The rest suffered from inflation due to indirect taxes

• Aswan Dam– Completed in 1970 with USSR aid– It bettered relations with the USSR

• Grain– Dependent on US for grain– Led to shortages in 1966– Nasser decided friendship would be impossible if Johnson was President

Nasser Images

Sources

Mimmack, Brian, Eunice Price, and DanielaSenes. History. Oxford: Pearson Education, 2010. Print.