Has the revolution left Egyptian workers behind?

[Reznov]

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2079605,00.html - Article

What do you guys think? Does this prove that the Egyptian "revolution" actually had the interests of the Egyptian working class, or has the movement since been hijacked by American-Imperialist currents?

[Os Cangaceiros]

I don't think this has much to do with "American Imperialist" currents as it does with the ruling class just doing what the ruling class does. They did it long before Mubarak, and they'll continue to do it for a long time after Mubarak, most likely. Would anyone even expect that the struggle for wages and benefits would cease after Mubarak left? I hope not.

There's a lot of reason for optimism, actually. The trade union movement in Egypt is stronger now than it has been in a while, despite the repressive military governance.

[W1N5T0N]

we don't want to give the military council more of a burden than they already have. - Al-Shitry, account for the state-run railways

Hm, sounds more like a bad apology for "the junta got us by the balls, so sucks to you."

[thesadmafioso]

It is safe to say that the initial Egyptian 'revolution' never truly had the interests of labor at its core, it was more a loosely maintained coalition of vague malaise held together under the banner of ousting Mubarak as a result of declining economic conditions. The movement never had any firm ideological framework to it, and thus it was bound to end the lackluster and anticlimactic fashion which it did.

For Egypt to see any actual progress from this course of events, it will need to see continued action by the working class to secure a government truly representative of its wills. Military rule and moderate capitalistic politics operating under the guise of democracy will certainly do the region no justice.

[unfriendly]

Egypt's revolution is currently in flux and could end in all sorts of ways, and there are all sorts of people protesting for all sorts of things and making all kinds of wonderful and amazing gains that we in the west will be lucky if we see in our lifetime. It has always been and remains a popular mass movement against a dictatorial regime and in favor of all sorts of things, ranging from liberal nationalist values to pan-arab anti-colonialism to anti-police agitation and universal acceptance. The revolution is not an ideology and it is not a group and it is not anything that can be described in any such simple way. It's just what happens when people stop bickering about firm ideological framework and go do the damn thing.

EDIT: I'd note though that many people involved in the revolution are working class and rather enthused about the revolution, so no, I wouldn't be too worried about it.

[jake williams]

It is safe to say that the initial Egyptian 'revolution' never truly had the interests of labor at its core, it was more a loosely maintained coalition of vague malaise held together under the banner of ousting Mubarak as a result of declining economic conditions.
The movement to overthrow Mubarak was a mass movement with organized labour clearly in the leadership. That the Twit kiddies and the other liberal hacks feted in the West tried to take control, as of course they would, doesn't silence that basic fact.

Of course it wasn't a revolution in the Marxist sense, with an actual change in the class nature of the society, and even honest liberals are often willing to acknowledge that the country hasn't changed that much, as it's still in effect a sort of military dictatorship.

It's also, of course, worth pointing out that to an extent the overthrow of Mubarak represented a coup for the Egyptian (and to an extent, international, but I think the role of American imperialism in the present government can be overstated) bourgeoisie. Mubarak was seen by many as corrupt, bureaucratic, and a poor stewart for healthy, productive, dynamic capitalist relations. The new military dictatorship, it's hoped, will maintain all of the former regime's capacity to repress the working class while being more open to domestic and foreign businesses without direct ties to the regime. Whether or not this will be the case is disputable as well, but that's the intent, and that's what forms the basis for the bourgeois support of the current regime over that of Mubarak, a support which is basically unambiguous.


All that said, the overthrow of Mubarak was a major democratic victory, and as the massive spread of legal labour and socialist organizing has shown, represents significant opportunities. It's not overly optimistic to say that the present situation in Egypt represents a major revolutionary opportunity for the working class, one that it's trying to take. But of course there are dangers, and success is not at all guaranteed.

[thesadmafioso]

The movement to overthrow Mubarak was a mass movement with organized labour clearly in the leadership. That the Twit kiddies and the other liberal hacks feted in the West tried to take control, as of course they would, doesn't silence that basic fact.

Of course it wasn't a revolution in the Marxist sense, with an actual change in the class nature of the society, and even honest liberals are often willing to acknowledge that the country hasn't changed that much, as it's still in effect a sort of military dictatorship.

It's also, of course, worth pointing out that to an extent the overthrow of Mubarak represented a coup for the Egyptian (and to an extent, international, but I think the role of American imperialism in the present government can be overstated) bourgeoisie. Mubarak was seen by many as corrupt, bureaucratic, and a poor stewart for healthy, productive, dynamic capitalist relations. The new military dictatorship, it's hoped, will maintain all of the former regime's capacity to repress the working class while being more open to domestic and foreign businesses without direct ties to the regime. Whether or not this will be the case is disputable as well, but that's the intent, and that's what forms the basis for the bourgeois support of the current regime over that of Mubarak, a support which is basically unambiguous.


All that said, the overthrow of Mubarak was a major democratic victory, and as the massive spread of legal labour and socialist organizing has shown, represents significant opportunities. It's not overly optimistic to say that the present situation in Egypt represents a major revolutionary opportunity for the working class, one that it's trying to take. But of course there are dangers, and success is not at all guaranteed.

I never doubted the presence of organized labor in this movement, I was merely saying that it was not a determinant element in this quasi revolution. Opportunity for the working class to weaken the grip of the bourgeoisie over the nation has certainly emerged, though it is a question of how significant of an effect such potential will prove to have. I simply don't think it will be enough to see the movement transform itself into an ordered political structure capable of enacting any further revolutionary chance.

[Mr. Cervantes]

I don't think this has much to do with "American Imperialist" currents as it does with the ruling class just doing what the ruling class does. They did it long before Mubarak, and they'll continue to do it for a long time after Mubarak, most likely. Would anyone even expect that the struggle for wages and benefits would cease after Mubarak left? I hope not.

There's a lot of reason for optimism, actually. The trade union movement in Egypt is stronger now than it has been in a while, despite the repressive military governance.

It has everything to do with American imperialism.

Mubarak was put into government and financed by the United States.

The new Egyptian government if the Egyptians don't defend themselves will also become another American puppet regime.

[Os Cangaceiros]

It has everything to do with American imperialism.

Mubarak was put into government and financed by the United States.

In countries not directly propped up by the USA, do people still struggle for wages and benefits?

The answer is yes.

[AnonymousOne]

What revolution?
All I saw was popular uprising which was subsumed by a military coup.