Social Structure and Democratic Practice

Thjs monograph is the outcome of a symposium on the theme of Problems and Prospects of Democracy in Egypt , which was organized by the Centre for Political and Strategic Studies of AI-Ahram Foundation, and the Department of Political Science of the American University jn Cairo. The symposium was held from 8 - 11 December 1976, and was attended by a number of university professors and scholars representing different intel 1- ectual and ideological persuasions. It took place at a time when Egyptian democracy was in the ascendent: thus papers and discussions radiated a general feeling of optimism. The pages that fol low represent, in a sense, the testimony of a number of Egyptian Intellectuals and a summation of their perceptions of the problems that democracy faces in their country. This volume could not have been possible without the active support and encouragement of a number of people. I would like to express my deep­est gratitude to Dr Thomas Lamont, Dean of the Faculties at AUC, who was of untold help in making into reality the idea of the symposium and the project of this monograph. I would also like to thank Dr Boutros Boutros­ Ghali and Dr Earl Sullivan for their vital help. Mr Bahgat Badei made an initial translation of most of the papers which were originally delivered in Arabic. Responsibility for verification of the translations is my own. My sincere thanks go also to Mr Michel Le Gal I, who spent considerable time reading the manuscript, and who suggested various stylistic improvements.https://fount.aucegypt.edu/faculty_book_chapters/1801/thumbnail.jp