Policy Making in Egypt: A Case Study of the Open Door Economic Policy

Abstract

This paper deals with some aspects of the policy making process in Egypt in relation to the open door economic policy (ODEP), such as incrementalism, elite fragmentation, ideological symbolism and external influences. The analysis traces how economic liberalization became a policy issue in the crucial years 1970-1974. A particular emphasis is laid on the role of external factors, especially the IMF, in influencing and shaping the policy.