The Rise Of Egyptian Communism, 1939-1970

212 Pages·1988·4.382 MB·English

by  Selma Botman

The Rise of Egyptian Communism, 1939-1970
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

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The Rise of
Egyptian
Communism,
1939-1970
Selma Botman
Syracuse University Press
Copyright © 1988 by Syracuse University Press
Syracuse, New York 13244-5160
First published 1988
All Rights Reserved
First Edition
93 92 91 90 89 88 6 5 4 3 2 1
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. («f
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Botman, Selma.
The rise of Egyptian communism, 1939-1970.
(Contemporary issues in the Middle East)
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Communism—Egypt—History. I. Title. U. Series.
HX443.A6B67 1988 320.5'32'0962 88-4916
ISBN 0-8156-2443-3 (alk. paper)
Manufactured in the United States of America
for TOM, who saw this book through
and
for JACK, who so much would have liked to
Selma Botman is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political
Science at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., and is
a recipient of several fellowships including the National Endowment
for the Humanities and the Social Science Research Council. She re­
ceived both her M. A. and her Ph.D. from Harvard University and has
published articles in a number of scholarly journals.
Contents
Preface ix
Introduction xiii
1. The Roots of Egyptian Communism 1
Militant Politics in Post-World War I Egypt 1
The Renewal of Radicala nd Antifascist Political Activity 6
The "Tfotskyite* Tendency 12
2. A Portrait of the Communist Movement 17
Communist Activists 17
The Composition of the Communist Movement 18
3. The Historical Development of the Egyptian
Communist Movement, 1942-1947 33
Wartime Politics 33
The Egyptian Movement for National Liberation 35
Iskra 47
The New Dawn—Popular Vanguard for Liberation 54
The National Movement after World War n 58
4. Unification and Division in the Communist
Movement, 1947-1954 69
The Democratic Movement for National Liberation 69
The Clash of Personalities and Principles 85
The Palestine War 86
The Policy of the Front 91
The Line of the Democratic Forces 92
viii CONTENTS
Factionalism within the Democratic Movement tor
National Liberation 93
The Resurgence of the Marxist and National Movements 100
The Establishment of a New Croup—the Egyptian
Communist Party 104
5. Communism and the Military Regime 115
The Military Comes to Power 115
The Relationship of the Democratic Movement for
National Liberation with the Free Officers Movement 119
The New Regime of the Free Officers 123
The Struggle for Power 131
Communist Accommodation with the Government 139
6. The Significance of the Egyptian Communist Movement 149
Appendix: Journalistic Literature 157
Notes 165
Bibliography 175
Index 183
Preface
S The majority op studies written about the political history of
modem Egypt have focused either on parties or movements which
have succeeded in assuming power or those whose message in­
spired considerable numbers of people. Similarly, the figures who have
drawn the attention of historians have generally been those able to
operate openly in the political arena. This study of Egyptian commu­
nism from 1939 to 1970 does not belong to these categories. The
Egyptian communist movement never became a mainstream party
or even a consistently powerful political force. Instead, it operated in
an environment of extreme clandestinity and periodic repression. Its
leaders have received little recognition because they were never able
to create a mass movement with realistic capabilities for replacing
either the royalist regime or Nasserist rule.
Yet, the influence of Egyptian communism was larger than its
numbers imply. Communism had a significant ideological impact on
Egyptian society, especially on intellectuals and among small groups
of skilled workers. Communists were present at key moments of na­
tionalist, student, and trade union militancy, and they contributed
to the destabilization of the constitutional regime and the worn-out
Wafd Party. In doing so, they helped pave the way for the emergence
of Gamal Abdul Nasser and the Free Officers Movement of 1952.
Despite the significance of communism as an intellectual, cul­
tural, and political extra-parliamentary force, its history is virtually
unknown. This book addresses that gap by examining the rise and
experience of communism within Egyptian society subject to the pres­
sures of the international system. It is offered as a modest contribu­
tion to the study of Egypt's political and intellectual history and to
the literature of Third World revolutionary movements.
IX
X PREFACE
Many people have contributed to this book and to all of them—
too numerous to name—I owe a debt of gratitude. I deeply thank all
those who granted me interviews and provided me an invaluable rec­
ord of Egypt in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Their generosity, inter­
est, and experience made this study possible.
Mahmud Amin al-Alim, Muhammad Sid Ahmad, Fuad Mursi,
Albert Arie, Hilmi Yassin, and Soraya Adham gave me their time and
encouragement and shared with me their knowledge of Egyptian his­
tory and politics. Inge Aflatun allowed me to work with her private
collection of materials relating to women in Egyptian politics. Naula
Darwish made her father's papers available to me.
Through Adil Amin and Mustafa Kamil Munib I was able to
read the transcripts of political court cases in which communists
were defendants. Joyce Blau gave me access to various records of the
Egyptian communist movement. Muhammad al-Sayyid Ashmawi
made introductions for me and provided me with publications rele­
vant to my study.
From the historian Salah Isa I learned much about Egypt's past.
This book profited from his political insights and his historical crafts­
manship. Rifaat al-Said provided me a wide range of sources on the
opposition movement and helped me formulate my ideas about left­
ist activity in Egypt. Shohrat al-Alim was a close and trusted friend
and assisted me in a multitude of ways throughout my stay in Egypt.
Peter Gran encouraged this book from its inception and offered
me his special knowledge of Egypt and international affairs. Zachary
Lockman read this manuscript in a number of forms and offered im­
portant suggestions and criticisms. Sharif El Musa cheerfully helped
me make sense out of some of the more obscure legal documents I
had to examine and was always willing to discuss ideas. Judith lUcker,
Beatrice Manz, and Irene Gendzier provided me with inspiration and
friendship.
David Landes stimulated my interest in history and both through
example and instruction demonstrated to me the rigors and rewards
of serious academic scholarship. Albert Hourani was my first mentor
in Middle Eastern Studies and has constantly been a guide and source
of support. He read many versions of this book in dissertation and
manuscript form, and his incisive criticisms contributed to the final
product.
I am grateful to all the members of my family who gave me their
confidence and helped me in countless ways. I especially want to thank
Gertrude Botman, Agnes Birmingham, Nancy Birmingham, and Ethel