Grand Delusion, A

The recent history and politics of Egypt illuminates the tortuous and
often contradictory relationship between liberalization and democracy
in Third World countries. Eberhard Kienle argues that the much-vaunted
reform and liberalization of Egypt’s economy has been partial and
selective, far from benefiting everybody. The author looks at how
economic reform and liberalization have failed to produce a greater
degree of political democracy: notions of elective pluralism, political
accountability, clean elections, a genuinely free press, and the
containment of police powers, which have turned out to be a great
delusion masking restrictions on political participation and civil
liberties. This book will shed much light on the dilemma between
political and economic reform faced by so many developing countries
today.