Political System Under Nasser And Sadat Essay

Can you argue that the structure of the political system under the Nasser and Sadat Presidencies differ and if so, to what degree?

Several scholars and historians have made efforts to compare and contrast Egypt under the rule of Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anwar Sadat. On the surface there are several similarities between the two leaders, but once we start to dig deeper we find that this claim is false. Nasser was a very popular leader that took upon him to become the guardian of the 1952 Revolution and of the Arab states in general. A young, ambitious, and charismatic leader that easily won the love of the Egyptian masses. He had a dream and a vision to turn Egypt into an industrial state that would one day be free of any imperialistic control. Sadat on the other hand was more a more experienced and pragmatic politician. He was not as charismatic or as popular as Nasser but he too had a vision, that some believe was more realistic. Sadat believed that turning Egypt into a real power could not be accomplished without the support of the US. He also believed that gaining back Sinai through the use of force would be impossible, and chose to enter the corridors of diplomacy. The two men might share several similarities in that they were both military men and the heads of a repressive and authoritarian regime. Nasser and Sadat held all the power in their hands and refused to share it. They also changed the structure of society from the top.
If we observe the economic structure of Egypt during the Nasser and Sadat era, the differences are infinite. Nasser created a social state based on the example of the Soviet Union. The concept of sharing resources by society and the access of the poor to free education and health services was still undergoing under Sadat to some extent. The state still controlled the huge industries and large lands that Nasser had either nationalized or built. Meaning that the state was still the main force economically in the country. But Sadat...