Egyptians’ Raised Standards May Be Stumbling Block

Nathan J. Brown, professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University in the United States, cites his optimism concerning Egypt’s future.

Brown maintained that despite major changes, he believed Egypt’s future will be more pluralistic and democratic than during its past although many citizens have begun to show signs of impatience and concern.

He writes in his commentary in the Carnegie Endowment that some of the declining enthusiasm following the revolution was inevitable given the unrealistic expectations and raised bars generated by the elation of the February triumph.

According to Brown, two major issues should concern Egyptians. He listed them as firstly being the ruling military council’s inexperience with public politics, and secondly, the growing rift between Islamist and non-Islamist political trends as being a major concern.

He added that although differences of opinion among political leaders are healthy to offer people democratic choices, the problem in Egypt is that the suspicions among various leaders are increasing and that conspiratorial talk of secret pacts, foreign funding, hidden agendas and support for opponents, has become extremely widespread. He described them as a potential problem for moving forward.

He also referred to the Muslim Brotherhood, asserting that they will face challenges as its leaders work to improve the images the former regime has worked decades to tarnish.

He concluded that the revolution’s fate will not become clear until new structures are built to determine Egypt’s political directions, namely, the roles of the president and the military, the role of popular mobilization in affecting the transition process and how Egypt’s new constitution will be written, and what it will say.