Notwithstanding its many achievements, Egypt is still plagued by many
ailments and shortcomings today, and shows disparities that are typical of
developing countries. The deplorable social and economic conditions cannot
be concealed behind the magnificent façades of the tall steel and glass build-
ings in Cairo, Alexandria and elsewhere, the modern metro in the country’s
capital, the gigantic structure of the Aswan High Dam, and the luxurious
holiday resorts and the gated communities on the Red Sea and Mediterranean
coasts. Critical voices in the country have openly drawn people’s attention
to the paradoxical state of development in Egypt (Heikal 1995; Ismail 1988;
Zaki 1993). Among the economic problems most heatedly discussed in the
country itself are the following: