Title: 1952 - Egyptian Revolution

​

About: A military coup ousted the Egyptian King Farouk, removing the remnants of British influence in the government, and creating a republic in Egypt.

​

Led by a young Gamal Abdel-Nasser and veteran General Mohamed Naguib, a group of ambitious Egyptian army officers known as the ”Free Officers” carried out a successful and bloodless coup, forcing King Farouk I to abdicate.  The deposed king and his family sailed comfortably into exile in the royal yacht on 26 July. A 21-gun salute was fired in his honour. 

​

The excesses of Farouk’s lifestyle, his distance from those he ruled (he was unable even to sign in correct Arabic on his abdication paperwork) and the corruption of his regime were not the issues which caused his fall. 

 

The driving force for systemic change was a profound sense on the part of Nasser and his co-conspirators that the time had arrived for a new political order that provided Egyptians with a sense of dignity. In practical terms, that meant focussing on redistribution of land and wealth from the overwhelmingly expatriate elements of the population, as well as  removing the British presence from its remaining military base on the Suez Canal.

​

However, the revolution’s leadership started to crack from within as the council was divided over the reforms to be implemented.  General Naguib became Egypt’s first president in 1953 although he ruled only briefly. Gamal Abdel Nasser succeeded him, and he proved a charismatic figure who would become known worldwide as vocal opponent to anti-colonialism, an endorser of self-determination, a pan-Arabism pioneer and the face of Egyptian nationalism.

​

​

Decade: 1950s

Year: 1952

Region: Africa

Country: Egypt + UK

Politics: Revolution

Politics: Imperialism

​

Type: Historical Event

Impact: 8

Artist: Yulia Kozlova

_____________________________________________________________________

Group: Genesis

Number: 52/100

Price: 0.8 ETH

​

_____________________________________________________________________

​