The best outcome of the May 4 Strike is that it has re-established the relationship between the citizen and the state in Egypt. I think the main advantage of this strike was the rehabilitation of society in its relationship with the regime, having remained outside the political game for half a century.
It has become clear that both parties respect the other s power, as the state has not attacked its citizens, but it has given them the chance to express themselves freely. It has not arrested or insulted any citizen as was the case on the April 6 strike. On their part, those who called for the strike did not deliberately try to provoke the government and expressed their anger and their demands in a civilized and peaceful way.
I believe that the problem was not in the success or the failure of the strike, but rather in how each party used its skills and tools against the other. This was a civilized training on the interaction between the people and the regime.
Each party succeeded in achieving its goals, as we neither saw violent incidents or sabotage by the strikers, nor security intervention through arrests or beatings.
Furthermore, the vast majority of Egyptians was convinced that a silent strike was the best solution to express exasperation with the economic policies and the government’s humble performance, and therefore everyone preferred to remain silent about the impact of the strike.
Those who were betting on the participation of masses of people were wrong and those who thought that the Egyptian centuries-old negativity would change overnight were also wrong. What happened on May 4 underlines the inability of Egyptian society to recognize the strong bond between democracy and its basic needs. It appeared that the people had calmed down again to enjoy the 30 percent salary increment they had obtained on Labor Day.
What is happening in Egypt now is part of a long-term and gradual change.
This process will mature through peaceful interaction between the community and the State. Each party will seek to strengthen his position in the relationship and make gains at the expense of the other, so that the two parties ultimately agree on an acceptable formula of the relationship between them. This compromise is the essence of democracy.
Egypt now is on the threshold of a new era in which the critical bloc is seeking to formulate a new social contract based on the need to respect the dreams and aspirations of the new generations. Therefore, the State must look for this generation because it will be its only source of legitimacy.
This generation must respect the State, because it is the guarantor of its bread and freedom. These are the first steps toward true democracy.
Khalil Al-Anani is an expert on Political Islam and Deputy Editor of Al Siyassa Al Dawliya journal published by Al-Ahram Foundation. E-mail: [email protected].
