By Nomi Prins, from AlterNet
This article has a political economy approach to to the recent Egyptian revolts. Prins claims that the uprising is due to "ruthless capitalism." Over the past few years to spur their economy, Egypt's government and dictator have privatized much of their country's financial system internationally. They sold real estate to foreigners and had foreign bank takeovers, all with very limited rules. They even eliminated minimum capital requirements for investment, meaning no money down. All this did was produce a false growth which came crumbling down. College graduates have very little job prospects for a good future and are now finally rebelling.
A cultural studies approach to this dilemma would focus on the repression of the Egyptian people. They don't have a say in their government, or culture for that matter. The very few elite in charge have made horrible decisions that give its consequences to the rest. This mirrors Marx's theory of the superstructure and the base. The superstructure is Egypt's dictator, Hosni Mubarak, and his close advisors. The rest of Egypt's population makes up the base. However, now the Egyptians are trying to fight this structure, resulting in not only a political revolution, but a cultural one as well that could spread worldwide.
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