Reform: A Joint Project Between the Citizen and the State
Novels are not merely fleeting, entertaining tales; rather, they often, especially the outstanding ones, carry profound lessons and insights for those adept at reading them. Alaa Al Aswany, originally a dentist, studied and practiced dentistry for years, in addition to his literary works, which accurately diagnosed Egyptian society. He consistently linked his characters to the political and social transformations in Egypt, with clear implications for issues of corruption, class disparities, personal freedoms, and the revolutions that swept through Egypt in both its modern and ancient history. Among his famous novels are *Yacoubian Building*, *Chicago*, *The Auto Club*, and *Republic of Fear*. The latter holds a prominent and direct place in Alaa Al Aswany’s memory, as the novel recaptures the atmosphere of the January 25 Revolution and the subsequent disillusionment. The work transforms into something akin to an elegy for a political and moral dream of establishing a more just, free, and dignified state. In the end, he finds that this dream collided with an entrenched old structure that shattered collective hope for a new and different experience to rise, bringing back bureaucracy, social interests, corruption, and class divisions.
From here, Al Aswany delves into the symbolism of the Arab revolutions in general, viewing them as a high moral call that remains confined to slogans of dignity, justice, and freedom, which often clash with complex and intricate interests, rendering them unable to achieve their goals. He believes the world witnessed this firsthand during the Arab Spring revolutions. Among the most prominent obstacles to change in the Middle East, and specifically in the Arab world, is that the region is not an open arena but is closed off by sectarian and ideological conflicts, fierce competition among regional powers, international interventions and calculations, energy security, trade routes and corridors, and, of course, Israel’s security. All of this has made revolution or demands for change, regardless of their direction, synonymous with the chaos feared by everyone, especially with the entry of weapons, armed factions, regional and international alliances, suspicious money flows, and the smuggling of resources into the Arab Spring arena. This has left many fearful of the outcomes and possibilities of what lies ahead.
Leaving the arena of revolutions, we return to Alaa Al Aswany and his compelling novel, *Republic of Fear*, which within its narrative context addresses an incident that occurred in Russia before the Bolshevik Revolution. The protagonist of the incident was Vera Zasulich, who lived from 1849 to 1919. She shot the governor of St. Petersburg after he ordered the flogging of a political prisoner for failing to remove his hat in his presence. Vera was subsequently brought to trial, where the jury acquitted her. The trial was then evaluated as revealing a contradiction between law and moral legitimacy. While the state viewed Vera Zasulich as having assaulted an official, the people, the judiciary, and justice saw her as having responded to unchecked tyranny and violence. Thus, her trial and subsequent acquittal became a symbol of the loss of confidence in the Tsarist justice system in Russia at that time.
Therefore, a novel is not just an entertaining story; it carries a deeper and more profound message, or at least that is what any literary work should aspire to be. For example, in this novel, Alaa Al Aswany presents a message suggesting that tyranny does not reside solely in security apparatuses but lives within every member of society. It manifests in the hypocrisy we practice, the opportunism with which we interact, the corruption some engage in, and all forms of treachery and betrayal that surface in our societies. The responsibility for the advancement of any society does not rest on the state alone; it is part of every citizen’s duty in that country. We cannot build a sound society as long as we remain captives to nepotism, opportunism, and the cycle of corruption, prioritizing private interests over the public good.
Soad Fahd Al-Moajel
