40 CultureShock! Egypt
On the home front, Sadat was not as successful. Internally,
religious leaders and conservative Muslims objected to many
of his practices and policies. The poor resented having to
pay more for less. The educated classes were angry about
claims that the political system was more open when it was
not. Sadat’s economic policies also worked against him.
In 1974, he announced his new policy for opening the
door, bringing to an end Nasser’s state-run socialist system.
Under this plan, called Infitah, the economy should have
broadened throughout Egypt. Instead, a few people got
richer, while the majority of Egyptians were no better off
than before. By 1977, the economy was in such a bad state,
that Sadat increased bread prices until riots forced him to
cancel the increase.
On 6 October 1981, President Sadat and government
leaders reviewed an armed-forces parade in Cairo. Suddenly,
one of the trucks stopped, men alighted from the truck and
headed for the viewing stand from which Sadat and other
dignitaries viewed the parade. In the confusion, it seems
that Sadat thought the soldiers were coming over to shake
his hand. In any event, a hand grenade was lobbed at the
viewing stand, but did not explode. A second followed, which
again did not explode. Finally, the third grenade exploded.
At the same time, the assassins leapt out of the truck,
and with automatic guns fired into the viewing stands,
killing Sadat.
Vice President Hosni Mubarak succeeded Sadat without
incident. Mubarak was given emergency powers and
approved death sentences for five of Sadat’s killers. Mubarak
continued the path started by Sadat, that of opening Egypt’s
economy and government. He continues progress towards
eliminating socialism. Though progress sometimes seems
slow to the outsider, his policies are carefully designed
to allow step-wise progress without undermining cultural
values among the populace. Mubarak, like any leader, has
his detractors. Principal among these is the conservative
religious element that would like to see Egypt’s government
become less secular. President Mubarak is now serving his
fifth term as President of Egypt.