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Friday 2 September 2011

'No Egyptian can go against his government'


"People are naïve when they get the idea that we fix elections. Nothing of the kind. It just comes down to the fact we've studied the Egyptian people well. Our Lord created the Egyptians to accept government authority."

"No Egyptian can go against his government. Some peoples are excitable and rebellious by nature but the Egyptian keeps his head down his whole life long so he can eat. It says so in the history books."
"The Egyptians are the easiest people in the world to rule. The moment you take power, they submit to you and grovel to you and you can do what you want with them. Any party in Egypt, when it makes elections and is in power, is bound to win, because the Egyptian is bound to support the government. It's just the way God made him."
Or so one of the main characters in the book The Yacoubian Building by Alaa al Aswany says.
Highly recommended reading for those who love Cairo. It provides an intriguing look at Egyptian society, particularly life in Caïro. The historical descriptions of down-town are a joy to read.
For those who don't like to read: there's a movie too.