Devout Neoliberalism?! Explaining Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood's Socio-economic Perspective and Policies

Abstract

How can we explain the neoliberal orientation of Islamist movements in the Middle East? This paper attempts to answer this question by exploring the case of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. It analyzes in depth the Brotherhood's socio-economic vision and policies when it was in power between 2012 and 2013. It argues that the Brotherhood adopted a market-oriented vision, which encouraged the private sector, liberalized the economy, and appealed to foreign investments. As a socio-political movement, the Brotherhood attempted to strike a balance between its constituency, which is rooted in the lower, middle, and upper-middle classes, and its commitment to neoliberal policies. However, this paradoxical balance burdened the movement and affected its popularity. The article also contends that the Brotherhood's neoliberal leanings can be explained by three key factors: the movement's pragmatism, its “devout” bourgeoisie, and the appeal for international acceptance and recognition.

Revolution, Change, and Democratic Transition in Egypt Since 2011: A Critical Political Economy Approach

“…However, this paradoxical balance only invigorated resistance from below by the same countermovement that brought down Mubarak (Al-Anani, 2020). The MB, to its peril, was not critical enough in its understanding that neoliberalism is a fundamentally bottom-up redistributive mechanism that produces poverty and social inequality “as to be regarded as structural to the whole project” (Harvey, 2007, p. 16).…”