Treatment of Political Parties,
Women, and Minorities
Muslim Brotherhood treatment
After the Muslim Brotherhood attempted to
assassinate Nasser in 1954, 6 members were
executed and thousands of others were
arrested
Some MB members were held in concentration
camps, others went underground to reorganize
Communist Party treatment
When the communist party was accused of
leading a strike at a factory, Nasser had the
army called in to crush it
While Nasser identified with socialist ideals, the
communist ideology of workers uniting and
overthrowing the upper class disturbed him
Jewish Egyptians
 Jews were often persecuted in Nasser’s Egypt,
often confined to their homes without food,
etc.
1959 law stated all workers needed special
identification—after your name came your
religion, and Jewish workers were not
recommended to hire
A large number of Jews tried to leave Egypt
during Nasser’s reign, but they had limited
relocation options
Wafd Party
Previously very popular (led by Zaghlul,
represented Egypt at the Paris Peace
Conference, and re-installed by the British in
1942)
Outlawed by Nasser immediately after the 1952
Revolution
Women under Nasser’s Reign
Gained the right to vote
Nasser tried to improve female literacy/gained education
rights- state education was opened to women
Women were elected to government positions (well, just
two, in 1957)
Legal rights and special protection for working women
Improvements were complicated by restrictions in Islam
1962 National Charter stated that women were equal to
men, granted access to Al-Azhar University, a religious
institution
Nasser did NOT change discriminatory family laws
Use of Propaganda
Used radio heavily (this helped since Egypt at its best
still had a 50% literacy rate
Influenced novels and newspapers, plays and songs
(two well known Arab singers wrote songs of praise for
him)
Heavy censorship of media
Like most authoritarian leaders, used powerful
emotional speeches to win people’s favor