9. Conclusion

This book has examined the impact of external factors on Egyptian democratization in the post-Cold War era. The book does not as such constitute an argument for the primacy of external factors in determining the path of Egypt’s democratization process. Instead, the mood of analysis is one that has sought to highlight the role of external factors within this process. In this context, the book has demonstrated that external factors, while varying across the period examined, have nonetheless played a decisive role in conditioning Egypt’s democratic experience. In Egypt, external factors have displayed their direct relevance in establishing constraints and providing sufficient conditions for the movement towards or away from democracy.