Gamal Abdel Naser’s Regime and the Genesis of the First Wave of Liberalization in Egypt

The aim of this article is to analyse the origins of the first wave of economic liberalization in Egypt. This paper refers to the historical period preceding the fundamental change of economic policy initiated by Anwar as-Sadat in the 1970s, analysing the causes of delegitimation of Gamal Abdel Nasser’s regime (1952–1970). The author characterizes the mechanisms of consolidation of the authoritarian rule, describes the main pillars of power, and analyses Nasser’s economic reforms (statism and central planning), including their social consequences.