-"There's no nizam"

We've relied heavily on real-time economic data to understand short-term economic trends & policy decisions. When exploring long-term economic growth, perspectives focused on lived experiences can show how institutions shape what feel possible, what talents are used, & what futures seem worth pursuing.

MacArthur fellow and finalist for the National Book Award, Peter Hessler, spent a decade living in China, chronicling the country’s growth through the lives of ordinary citizens. In 2011, he and his family moved to Cairo during the Arab Spring. The selected excerpts from, The Buried, An Archeology of the Egyptian Revolution, focuses on the experiences of ordinary Egyptian citizens to provide insights into how institutions, culture, & history intertwine in Egypt to shape individual lives, choices, & opportunities.

Main Themes:

1. The Role of Institutions: How formal & informal institutions (government, social etiquette, family) shape opportunities, talent utilization, and future aspirations.
2. Cultural and Historical Context: The deep influence of historical legacies (e.g., pharaonic history, colonialism, past revolutions) and cultural norms (e.g., politeness, "evil eye," lack of nizam) on contemporary Egyptian society.
3. Informal Systems and Adaptability: The emergence and function of informal economic & social systems (e.g., ashwa'iyat, zabaleen, wasta, family-based politics) in the absence of effective formal governance.
4. The Arab Spring's Impact: The revolution's initial promise of change versus the realities of institutional inertia and the unexpected consequences of political participation without strong institutional frameworks.
5. Contrasting Egypt with China: A recurring comparison that highlights differences in national priorities, economic development strategies, social norms, approaches to modernization, and rural-to-urban migration patterns.
6. Family Structures: The pervasive influence of family in Egypt, often superseding formal government institutions &political parties.

Excerpt Sections:

1. Introduction: Introduces the Abydos archaeological dig as a microcosm and highlights the initial disconnect between the Arab Spring in Cairo and more remote areas.
2. There's No Nizam: Explores the concept of nizam (system/order) and its perceived absence in Egypt, contrasting Egyptian and Chinese structure. Introduces wasta and its static nature compared to Chinese guanxi.
3. The Abydos Rayis: Details the local impact of the Arab Spring in Abydos, focusing on the practical, localized nature of governance in the absence of systematic administration.
4. Ashwa'iyat: Describes Cairo's informal settlements, highlighting how they grew without formal planning but provided functional, if illegal, housing. Highlights how informal local initiatives can fill governance gaps.
5. Tamarrod: Focuses on the Tamarrod petition campaign against Morsi & the widespread disillusionment with formal politics. Introduces the concept of a "praetorian state" where participation outruns institutionalization.
6. This Tiny Place called Connections: Explores how geographic factors &cultural traditions (family ties, ancestral villages) shape migration patterns & urban integration differently in Egypt vs China.
7. 100k Miles in a Renault Sedan: Uses the example of a Chinese entrepreneur in Egypt to illustrate practical challenges of business in an unsystematic environment.
8. Dawar Politics: Describes the informal, family- and clan-based nature of local elections in Abydos, where the family is the primary political structure vs formal parties or issues.
9. The "Deep State": Reinforces the importance of family structures in Egypt, directing votes and shaping social interactions.
10. The Abydos Rayis Revisited: Reinforces the ongoing nature of informal governance & police presence, emphasizing the unpredictability and contributing to a sense of political stagnation and a return to familiar patterns after the initial revolutionary fervor.