#20 How the West fueled corruption and inequality in Egypt - Dr. Sarah Smierciak

Podcast briefing

Dr. Sarah Smierciak discusses her book on cronyism and elite capture in Egypt, highlighting the role of international actors like USAID in perpetuating corruption and inequality during the Mubarak era.

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Smierciak explores her research on cronyism in Egypt, focusing on how foreign aid, particularly from USAID, contributed to the entrenchment of elite interests at the expense of broader economic development. She argues that international actors were complicit in promoting a neoliberal agenda that favored a small group of business elites.