Egypt's peasants and hard-pressed middle classwho together make up 90% of an exploding population of 40 millionhad for months grown increasingly bitter over continuing "sacrifice" demanded by their government. They chafed under commodity shortages and inflation rising at the rate of 37% a year. Those who shopped in private food storeswhere lines were shorter but prices four times higher than in subsidized government storescomplained of constant increases in the cost of milk, meat and vegetables. While they suffered, the nation's remaining 10% prospered. The rich grew richer under President Anwar Sadat, who returned property sequestered by the late President...
EGYPT: The Sound and the Fury of the Poor
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