Rich and Poor States in the Middle East: Egypt and the New Arab Order

Abstract

While oil wealth has enriched some Middle East Arab nations, those lacking oil resources have remained poor and are looking now to their oil-rich neighbors for development assistance. This collection of studies on the economic, social, and political relationships between the have and the have-nots focuses on Egypt, the largest state in the region, and on its prospects for change based on financial assistance from other Arab countries. The 13 authors disagree about the future of both rich and poor nations, and are skeptical about the possibility of transforming Egypt. They do agree that the future must be projected in the framework of a new regional order in which oil wealth, labor migration, and a new regional order in which oil wealth, labor migration, and liberalized national economies are fundamental realities. 615 references, 5 figures, 67 tables.