Garrison state structure of Egypt and its implications for growth and development

Abstract

Ever since Egypt’s independence in 1952, its military has enjoyed political leverage and patronage unparalleled to any other institution in the country. The domination of the military in the state’s civil apparatus can be deemed as a key factor that has undermined Egypt’s socio-economic growth and development. This paper, therefore, by employing Garrison State theory, formulated by Harold Laswell, aims to understand the ramifications of military domination on Egypt’s political economy. While examining its impact on the country’s macro-economy, the paper also examines the implication of military domination on Egypt’s socio-economic indicators, namely: health, education, income, and gender equality. Structuring the analysis on Amartya Sen’s schema of Development as Freedom, the paper concludes that diversification and democratization of the political structure are imperative to overcome the plight of underdevelopment in Egypt Keywords: Political Economy, Garrison State, Egypt, Military, Growth, Development, Freedom