Our attempt at retelling the story of Egyptian Modenity in Classical Liberal terms, which transcend the East/West dichotomy, deconstruct the notion of one undifferentiated national interest, and judge individual actions on the basis of Natural Right. Hence, our program on historical revision will seek to dissociate Liberalism from Imperialism, condemn tyranny regardless of historical conditions, and establish ideas, rather than subjective motives or socio-economic factors, as the major force behind the historical developments that formed the country we live in today.

Although Objectivist, Marxian and Islamist approaches to Egyptian history have had their share of success in academic circles, official Egyptian historiography has always been dominated by the Nationalist Liberal ideology, revolving around a schizophrenic relationship with the West, the master and modern prototype on one hand, and the imperialist enemy on the other. Nationalist Liberals set out from the premise of an undivided Egyptian Nation in a continuous strife against both Western imperialism and domestic tyranny, with definitions of imperialism and tyranny varying from one epoch to the other depending on who is in power.

Despite the unpopularity of the recently-toppled Egyptian regime, the predominant historical discourse throught its reign has deriven mainly from official Nationalist Liberal narratives. The typical story is rife with contradictions in the areas where Nationalism and Liberalism collide. For example, Gamal Abdel Nasser, leader of the 1952 coup and president between 1954 and 1970, is seen as a national redeemer and an oppressive despot at the same time. More significantly, the justification for 25 years of continuous armed conflict with Israel exists side by side with the grounds for the extant peace. As Egyptian society moves toward more openness, sooner or later such paradoxical views will collapse; given the anti-liberal atmosphere, whatever aspects of Liberalism remaining will be terminated. In other words, the more successful Egyptian Liberalism becomes on legal and economic levels, the more likely Liberalism itself will be wiped out by a totalitarian resurrection.

Therefore, the story of Egyptian modernity must be retold in Liberal terms which transcend the East/West dichotomy, deconstruct the notion of one undifferentiated national interest, and judge individual actions on the basis of Natural Right. Hence, our program on historical revision will seek to dissociate Liberalism from imperialism, condemn tyranny regardless of historical conditions, and establish ideas, rather than subjective motives or socio-economic factors, as the major force behind the historical developments that formed the country we live in today.