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In reply to the discussion: Highlights from Egypt, Dec 11 2012 / Huge Protest. IMF Loan. Selling Egypt [View all]polly7
(20,582 posts)58. Thanks for all of this Catherina.
http://www.zcommunications.org/navigating-egypts-revolutionary-crisis-by-shamus-cooke
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/may/25/imf-arab-spring-loans-egypt-tunisia
The Hospital that makes you Sicker
Joseph Stiglitz
http://www.newint.org/features/2004/03/01/imf-failure/
Moreover, the IMF usually demands privatization of public services that are directed toward helping the poor. One example of a common IMF attack on the public sector is the elimination of government fuel subsides, which lower the price of gasoline and oil used for cooking. This IMF policy has created mini-Arab springs in Jordan and Nigeria; and now Egypt's IMF loan includes the same attached string. A report on Reuters explains:
"If the [Egyptian] government does begin cutting the [fuel] subsidy and publishes a timetable for its eventual removal probably a minimum IMF demand then we would expect
funds from the IMF and other donor organizations to provide Egypt with breathing space [to fund its government]."
At the same time, the IMF loan also helped insure that Egypt's Mubarak-era miniscule taxes for the wealthy and corporations stay where they are, at 25 percent.
Thus, in one stroke of the pen signing the IMF debt deal the Muslim Brotherhood proved in practice that it will continue the economic policies of the wealthy-dominated Mubarak dictatorship.
"If the [Egyptian] government does begin cutting the [fuel] subsidy and publishes a timetable for its eventual removal probably a minimum IMF demand then we would expect
funds from the IMF and other donor organizations to provide Egypt with breathing space [to fund its government]."
At the same time, the IMF loan also helped insure that Egypt's Mubarak-era miniscule taxes for the wealthy and corporations stay where they are, at 25 percent.
Thus, in one stroke of the pen signing the IMF debt deal the Muslim Brotherhood proved in practice that it will continue the economic policies of the wealthy-dominated Mubarak dictatorship.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/may/25/imf-arab-spring-loans-egypt-tunisia
Beginning in the 1990s, IMF-led structural adjustment programmes saw the privatisation of the bulk of the Egyptian textile industry and the slashing of its workforce from half a million to a quarter-million. What's more, the workers who were left faced like the rest of Egypt stagnant wages as the price of living rocketed. Though you wouldn't know it from western coverage, the long and gallant struggle of these workers, particularly the strike of textile workers of Mahalla el-Kubra, is credited by many Egyptian activists as a crucial step on the Egyptian people's path towards revolution.
This failure to appreciate the revolutions as a rebellion not just against local dictators, but against the global neo-liberal programme they were implementing with such gusto in their countries, is largely a product of how we on the western left have been unwitting orientalists, and allowed the racist "clash of civilisations" narrative to define our perceptions of the Middle East. We have failed to see the people of the region as natural allies in a common struggle.
It is this blindness that makes the revolutions appear as instantaneous explosions, like switches suddenly flicked, rather than as events in a continuum. A good place to start the story, if you want it to make sense, would be the Egyptian bread riots of 1977, which came following an initial round of economic liberalisation (which was as much a part of Sadat's change of cold war allegiances as his salute to the Israeli flag in Jerusalem). It should not have surprised us that as people's struggle to survive grew more and more grinding following the IMF-led reforms of the subsequent decades they would rise up once more.
Nor should we surprised at the moneyed fightback, which will no doubt be attempted. During this transition period, forces like the IMF will seek to lock in and enlarge the neoliberal project before there is an accountable government to complain about it
This failure to appreciate the revolutions as a rebellion not just against local dictators, but against the global neo-liberal programme they were implementing with such gusto in their countries, is largely a product of how we on the western left have been unwitting orientalists, and allowed the racist "clash of civilisations" narrative to define our perceptions of the Middle East. We have failed to see the people of the region as natural allies in a common struggle.
It is this blindness that makes the revolutions appear as instantaneous explosions, like switches suddenly flicked, rather than as events in a continuum. A good place to start the story, if you want it to make sense, would be the Egyptian bread riots of 1977, which came following an initial round of economic liberalisation (which was as much a part of Sadat's change of cold war allegiances as his salute to the Israeli flag in Jerusalem). It should not have surprised us that as people's struggle to survive grew more and more grinding following the IMF-led reforms of the subsequent decades they would rise up once more.
Nor should we surprised at the moneyed fightback, which will no doubt be attempted. During this transition period, forces like the IMF will seek to lock in and enlarge the neoliberal project before there is an accountable government to complain about it
The Hospital that makes you Sicker
Joseph Stiglitz
http://www.newint.org/features/2004/03/01/imf-failure/
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Highlights from Egypt, Dec 11 2012 / Huge Protest. IMF Loan. Selling Egypt [View all]
Catherina
Dec 2012
OP
Dear Western fuckwads kindly read some ACTUAL investigative work on #Egypt's constitutional draft
Catherina
Dec 2012
#2
Protesters pulled down army metal barricade by wall 30mins ago-standing by tanks
Catherina
Dec 2012
#3
Electoral commission: Number of judges sufficient to supervise constitution referendum
Catherina
Dec 2012
#5
an "increase in misinformed articles by foreign analysts who seem paid to do so or know nothing
Catherina
Dec 2012
#7
So Morsi's government sold Egypt out to the same criminals that are in the process of destroying
sabrina 1
Dec 2012
#24
The new SCAF calls for a "national dialogue" tomorrow, says Mursi will attend. denials
Catherina
Dec 2012
#11
Contradicting reports from govt on whether Defense Minister invited political forces to dialogue
Catherina
Dec 2012
#14
Dear Western Media & Think tanks: If you're too bloody lazy to read, feel free to watch.
Catherina
Dec 2012
#16
Morsi still can't say whether call for meeting is a rumor or not, MB declares they're attending
Catherina
Dec 2012
#18
Morsi, deal with this! Egyptian women in black, with "retribution" written. & "Down with...
Catherina
Dec 2012
#21
Good question. It was all propaganda. I remember Laura Bush using Afghan's women to get support
sabrina 1
Dec 2012
#30
Yes, I do and that is one of many reasons why they are trying to shut down Wikileaks.
sabrina 1
Dec 2012
#36
no exaggeration there are about 100 MB mini bus & travel bus... with MB guards
Catherina
Dec 2012
#25
Numbers at palace increasing rapidly. Merghany street is full of protesters. Tanks are filling ...
Catherina
Dec 2012
#26
I just posted a link above to an interview with some of the men who are being paid to attack women.
sabrina 1
Dec 2012
#31
Egyptians outside Al-Ittihadiyah palace, no violence or injuries reported. n/t
Catherina
Dec 2012
#34
Nuba will announce tomorrow that no referendum voting boxes will be allowed in their villages
Catherina
Dec 2012
#35
Beltagy: We'll protect "Itehadya" with our blood. Abu Ismail supporters: Victory or martyrdom
Catherina
Dec 2012
#42
Beltagy, part-time parliamentarian & full-time bigot, asserting that >60% of protesters r Christian
Catherina
Dec 2012
#43
Morsi orders referendum in two phases for shortage in participating judges' numbers
Catherina
Dec 2012
#44
Presidential order to hold the referendum on December 15th and 22nd, due to shortage
Catherina
Dec 2012
#45
When will the west pay the price for its support of political Islam in the Arab world?
Catherina
Dec 2012
#46
MB #Ikhwan leader says MB violence is because of the rudeness of the protesters
Catherina
Dec 2012
#50
"15 hrs of street clashes show an organized group of disciplined Islamists. military-type exercises
Catherina
Dec 2012
#51