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Gamal Nasser and Anwar al Sadat in Egypt
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Gamal Nasser and Anwar al Sadat in Egypt
Introduction
The political map of Egypt during Gamal Nasser and Anwar al-Sadat's periods was
rather actively changing. Even though both leaders sought to transform Egypt and improve its
position on the international stage, they and their policies produced different results. Nasser
was a pan-Arabist and a socialist, whereas Sadat pursued liberalization and the West.
Background of Gamal Nasser
Gamal Nasser came into power after the 1952 revolution, which ousted the monarchy
to pave the way for a republic. He implemented pan-Arabism and the non-aligned world
policy, thus asserting Egypt's leadership in the Arab world and not taking sides in the Cold
War.1A notable achievement was the 1956 nationalization of the Suez Canal, which
significantly boosted Egypt's control over its resources and sovereignty.
Background of Anwar al-Sadat
Anwar al-Sadat, who succeeded Nasser in 1970, had a different style of leadership
and vision for Egypt. The early years saw him move towards the Western world and carry out
the Open-Door Policy (Infitah) to open up the economy and bring in foreign
investment.2Sadat's most famous achievement was signing the peace treaty with Israel in
1979, for which he received the Nobel Peace Prize together with Israeli Prime Minister
Menahem Begin.
Comparison of Political Strategies and Policies
Domestic Policies: Nasser's internal policies focused primarily on extending state
control over the economy and implementing land reforms to curb the emergence of an unfair
1 Folmar, Ruth. "The Revolutionary Classroom: Education and State Building in Nasserist Egypt,
1952-1967." PhD diss., 2020.
2 Duman, Ertuğrul Cevheri-Levent. "PERSISTING AUTHORITARIANISM IN THE ARAB WORLD."
(2022).
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distribution of wealth3On the other hand, Sadat moved towards economic liberalization,
privatization, and deregulation with the intention of encouraging the private sector and
foreign investors.
Foreign Policies: With respect to international relations, Nasser sided with the
Soviets and supported the idea of pan-Arabism, which would make Egypt the leading Arab
state. Sadat, on the other hand, caused Egypt to switch allegiance towards the United States
by signing the Camp David Accords, which set the framework for a peace between Egypt and
Israel.
Evolution of Their Presidencies: The presidency of Nasser initially enjoyed
considerable economic and social reforms, which haltered and deteriorated after the military
loss of the Six-Day War in 1967 and the stagnation of the economy. On the other hand, Sadat
came to the presidency with challenges, most notably in acquiring public support and in
dealing with economic challenges. Nevertheless, the latter years of Sadat's rule were crowned
by major events – the peace treaty with Israel and the economic liberalization that led to
development.
Successes and Failures
Nasser: Forums and other major achievements included the nationalization of the
Suez Canal Company, the first economic liberalization efforts to modernize Egypt. On the
other hand, during his presidency he also experienced major losses such as the military loss in
the Six-Day-War and the subsequent lack of economic growth.
Sadat: Sadat was successful, especially in the areas of economic reforms and the
peace treaty with Israel, which introduced a period of stability and recognition in Egypt.
3 Folmar, Ruth. "The Revolutionary Classroom: Education and State Building in Nasserist
Egypt, 1952-1967." PhD diss., 2020.
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However, he failed in his presidency in other areas like economic disparity and political
instability, which saw him assassinated in 19814.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Gamal Nasser and Anwar al-Sadat presidencies had different policies
and approaches towards Egypt and as result different outcomes were realized. Nasser’s
period is characterized by state control and Pan-Arabism while Sadat initiated economic
liberalization with shift towards the West. Both the leaders left their footprints on the sand of
Egypt’s politics and economy which are unerasable.
4 Duman, Ertuğrul Cevheri-Levent. "PERSISTING AUTHORITARIANISM IN THE
ARAB WORLD." (2022).
