Egyptians ignore calls to strike
Inside Story asks if it was the carrot or the stick that discouraged participation.
 |
Egyptians ignored calls for a nationwide strike on Sunday.
The planned protest was supposed to coincide with the 80th birthday of President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power since 1981.
The Egyptian government resorted to the stick and carrot approach and it seems to have succeeded in discouraging Egyptians from taking part in the strike.
Life in the city appeared normal, with heavy traffic and people going about their business.
This has been attributed to heavy security, with threats of harsh punishment against striking employees, and the pre-emptive 30 per cent increase in wages by President Mubarak four days ago.
So, do Egyptians tend to stay out of politics as long as there is food on the table, or do they feel intimidated by the state?
Watch part one of this episode of Inside Story on YouTube
Watch part two of this episode of Inside Story on YouTube
This episode of Inside Story aired on Monday, May 5, 2008 at 17:30 GMT
To contact us click on ‘Send your feedback’ at the top of the page
Watch Al Jazeera English programmes on YouTube
Join our debates on the Your Views page