The Revolutionary Spirit in Egypt: An Arendtian Perspective

Among the many questions raised by recent events in Egypt is this one: to which tense does the revolution belong? As of this writing, there is certainly evidence that the revolution has passed. Hosni Mubarak, the previously over-thrown dictator, has been released; Mohamed Morsi, once a popularly elected president, has been overthrown; and the current regime, with its demonstrated willingness to crush political opposition violently, resembles the most oppressive- aspects of the previous two. Yet the situation in Egypt is currently characterized by intense volatility. Although protests from Muslim Brotherhood supporters have waned significantly in the shadow of merciless crackdowns, protestors have adapted, and widespread resistance continues. Significantly, the resistance movement has recently showed signs of widening its focus and broadening its base. A protest march drawing thousands voiced opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood and the current regime. Many of the signs declared, “No legitimacy and no mandate; the revolution is back!” However, whether the revolution is “back,” or whether it has been ongoing- for nearly three years, is ultimately beside the point of this Comment. More relevant is that persistent, ground-level turbulence that began with Mubarak’s overthrow has twice before prompted political leaders to enact fundamental, constitutional reform. Yet none of those efforts has effectively quelled the unrest. Now, once again, constitutional reform is imminent. A ten-member panel of judicial experts and members of the judiciary has recommended a number of constitutional amendments to a recently convened fifty-member panel of party and community leaders. After a months-long dialogue between these two panels, the proposed amendments will be subject to a popular referendum. The drastic failure of previous constitutional reform suggests—and this Comment will argue—that Egyptian political leaders have overlooked some-thing quite fundamental about the nature of Egypt’s revolution. While stating their desire to heed the “genuine and authentic will of the people,” they have failed to adequately understand the popular will and to diagnose the root cause of an earth-shaking movement. This is perhaps because they have failed to ask a particularly basic question: was the revolution in Egypt a “revolution” at all?