A: Dunno if we'll both have enough time to finish this but wanted to open up this topic:
Non-fiction books, mainly academic ones.
Now, I'm developing an unease with reading academic books because they're morally overbearing and not in the good way, I think. Yes, there's a good morally overbearing which is when someone problematizes the way you experience or do something but gives you proper questions that guide you towards a manner of thinking that helps solve the problem. That makes sense to me. However, there are some statements that just make me uneasy and maybe it's because of a lack of ideological clarity or whatever my Marxist side of the brain tells me but it's becoming troublesome.
Let me explain.
I was in the taxi this morning (yes, I paid 25 pounds to get here) when I was reading this book by Chandra mohanty, a famous Indian feminist, that wrote a ground-breaking articles called "under western eyes", which critiques Western feminist discourse for belittling and under-simplifying the "third world woman", who doesn't really exist either way.
The book's name is called "Feminist Without Borders" (yes, I know) and right on the 6th page of the introduction, I'm thinking this is great. You see, she's talking about politics of solidarity as an important practice needed when you is a practicing feminist. And here I am, an intern at the an NGO (with its unique posturings—let's keep it at that) and I'm thinking "hmm, good. We work on coalition-building and collaboration and I have been interested in reading material that could help me develop these methodologies for future projects at work." When all of a sudden, and this isn't really out of nowhere given that Mohanty is a feminist anti-racist, anti-imperialist (read: Leftist) scholar, I'm reading and the line reads "capitalism is seriously incompatible with feminist visions of social and economic justice." At which point I stop and I'm like:
Tab eh? Should I even bother finishing the book? The thing is though, I respect what she has to say, but I just wondered, as someone who has managed to get academic books that 1. aren't really available in this country (I bought this book on a visit to New York two years ago) 2. has managed to gain the skill to feel comfortable in reading this highly jargonized books 3. has gained an appreciation for these book, such a statement makes me think:
"Oh nevermind, I can't use this for work."
That's just a side-effect of statements like (and yes, I'll repeat it so you don't have to look for it again) "capitalism is seriously incompatible with feminist visions of social and economic justice."
Anyways, just wanted to put it out there. You're not obliged to respond. Good morning love.
E: Good morning A.
I think the problem with academia recently is simple. Somehow, academia has managed to become synonymous with anti-Capitalist/Leftist/Radical/Whatever they wish to call themselves thinking. If you are in any way not these things, then you are not truly an academic because you are not removing yourself from the materialism that "stops" the brain from looking beyond the here and now to the how's what's and why's. For some reason, academics who do not bash the Capitalist nature of their world are not considered worthy of their status as academics. This is why so many find it necessary to include such ideologically and morally overbearing statements and try to push such un-moderate beliefs. And because they are all so entrenched in the system, they truly believe that these are their ideals and not their conformity to the academic forum or club.
It's a shame really, because I still think academia shouldn't be so closely linked to political ideologies. Or ideology really. they only seem to accept one branch. Why can't you think about things without linking them whether they comply with a specific branch of politics or economic thought? In Mohanty's case, why can feminism never be compatible with any form of capitalism? How is the idea of a free and equal woman incompatible with capitalism? I don't think this is true. I believe in both the equality of women and the freedom to pursue your economic interests. Does my belief in one negate my belief in the other? It would be a shame if academia has become that closed-minded.
Monday 12 May 2008
Wednesday 7 May 2008
The People's Assembly Decisions
So you can follow the entry BK just posted.
From Beltone Egypt News, May 6th 2008:
From Beltone Egypt News, May 6th 2008:
The People’s Assembly approved yesterday additional expenditures for FY2007/2008 to be financed by the implementation of a number of measures announced by the government at a press conference yesterday, reported local newspapers. The measures, aiming to finance the 30% increase in bonus for civil employees, an increase in pensions and additional subsidies on food and energy products, include: i) an increase in the prices of 90, 92 and 95-octane gasoline, diesel (gas oil) and kerosene by 35%, 32%, 57%, 47% and 47% to E£1.75, E£1.85, E£2.75, E£1.1 and E£1.1 per litre, respectively, ii) an increase in sales tax on local and imported cigarettes ranging between 10% and 33%, iii) an increase in the price of natural gas for energy-intensive industries, from E£0.36/cubic metre to E£0.57/cubic metre, equivalent, approximately, to a rise from US$1.8/mBTU to US$2.8/mBTU, iv) imposing a development tax of E£35/tonne on clay from quarries, v) progressively increasing registration fees on vehicles, vi) removal of tax exemption for private schools and universities, vii) removal of the free zone status from energy-intensive companies operating in free zones areas, and viii) removal of tax exemption on Treasury bills. According to local newspapers, the measures are expected to generate E£14.4 billion annually for the government.
Comment: While we believe that the restructuring of subsidies announced by the government yesterday will have a positive impact fiscally, in terms of maintaining the budget deficit at current levels despite the increase in expenditures, we expect the rise in general costs following the announcement of these measures will result in a spike in inflation in the short term, until the effect of these cost-push shocks runs its course. We expect the rise in inflation will strongly impact the purchasing power of the low and low-middle income groups, while the higher income population’s purchasing power could be less affected. [Emphasis added]
According to Al Ahram newspaper, annual passenger car registration fees have increased, across the board, as follows:
• For engine capacities less than 1.0 litres, fees will be E£116, up from E£16
• For engine capacities from 1.0 to 1.3 litres, fees will be E£143, up from E£23
• For engine capacities from 1.3 to 1.6 litres, fees will be E£175, up from E£25
• For engine capacities from 1.6 to 2.0 litres, fees will be E£1,000, with a minimum of E£200, up from E£120
• For engine capacities above 2.0 litres, fees will be 2% of the vehicle’s total value, decreasing by 10% per annum, with a minimum of E£1,000, decreasing by 5% per annum to a minimum of E£200 up from E£120, previously
Comment: Although the increases are high in percentage terms, we believe the new fee structure is not significant in absolute terms for capacities less than 1.6 litres, which represent the bulk of passenger cars in Egypt. For capacities of 1.6 liters and above, the increases can be seen as more significant. Having said that, we do not see a direct impact on new car sales as a result of both the increases in registration fees and the increases in fuel prices, as the traditional buying decision in Egypt is based on the fact that other appropriate transportation means are not available. [Emphasis added]
Comment: While we believe that the restructuring of subsidies announced by the government yesterday will have a positive impact fiscally, in terms of maintaining the budget deficit at current levels despite the increase in expenditures, we expect the rise in general costs following the announcement of these measures will result in a spike in inflation in the short term, until the effect of these cost-push shocks runs its course. We expect the rise in inflation will strongly impact the purchasing power of the low and low-middle income groups, while the higher income population’s purchasing power could be less affected. [Emphasis added]
According to Al Ahram newspaper, annual passenger car registration fees have increased, across the board, as follows:
• For engine capacities less than 1.0 litres, fees will be E£116, up from E£16
• For engine capacities from 1.0 to 1.3 litres, fees will be E£143, up from E£23
• For engine capacities from 1.3 to 1.6 litres, fees will be E£175, up from E£25
• For engine capacities from 1.6 to 2.0 litres, fees will be E£1,000, with a minimum of E£200, up from E£120
• For engine capacities above 2.0 litres, fees will be 2% of the vehicle’s total value, decreasing by 10% per annum, with a minimum of E£1,000, decreasing by 5% per annum to a minimum of E£200 up from E£120, previously
Comment: Although the increases are high in percentage terms, we believe the new fee structure is not significant in absolute terms for capacities less than 1.6 litres, which represent the bulk of passenger cars in Egypt. For capacities of 1.6 liters and above, the increases can be seen as more significant. Having said that, we do not see a direct impact on new car sales as a result of both the increases in registration fees and the increases in fuel prices, as the traditional buying decision in Egypt is based on the fact that other appropriate transportation means are not available. [Emphasis added]
Like Moth to a Flame: On Money, Cigarettes, and Gas
BK: Did anyone's salary get raised or at least were you promised a raise? Just wondering. Good morning.
RR: Morning! Sorry for being MIA all, was on holiday. Came back to find 120 unread emails. Fun.
I want a raise. Was promised a raise mid-year. Now I better get two raises.
RS: I'd been given a raise a couple of months ago, but also nothing to do with the Mubarak decree.
BK: But I'm thinking Central Bank is still a governmental agency right (I mean I know they're privatizing and all, but they still are huh?) What about MT? He's MCIT (at least for now, congrats about Coke btw)
NF: No one ever gave me a raise
At which point, BK and K engage in their own form of witty banter
BK: Wanna get another post in today since our group is quiet and we've got time?
Proposed topic?
E: Easy. The current economic reforms
BK: I don't know what to think exactly. I have to admit something in me was made happy by the raise. A friend of mine's father in a professor of political science at Cairo University and he said that, jokingly, that this was a bad move cos know Mubarak's gonna make people think that if they voice their concerns they can get what they want---which I can't understand as being a bad thing (isn't this a measure of 'democratic' reform or something—I swear intellectuals are frustrating.) Anyways, that happiness was easily dissolved when they announced that gas prices were rising and then cigarettes yesterday went up as well. I didn't understand that.
Is the tagline here that, 'now that we've raised your salaries you sons-of-bitches, we expect that you, as a consumer, can afford the change in prices? What about the poor stratas that are not currently employed by the government and in the face of bread and cigarettes rising have no additional money to afford these new increases?
E: An example of the effects, from Sandmonkey:
"This guy I work with, while riding the Microbus with me, kept cursing Mubarak today. His government salary has increased by 37 pounds, but now the Microbus' fare has doubled, so now he has to pay extra 2 pounds a work day. If he works for 20 days a months, he is already worse off by 3 pounds. And what kills is that he raised the prices right after he announces the raise. This Mubarak guy, he has no tact!"
The Taxi Driver I rode with to work today. Oh, and by the way, the ride now costs 30 pounds, up from the standard 20. Increased Gas prices, baby!
BK: Yeah, I paid the taxi 25 pounds today from Dokki to Star Capital.
But it's like I said when Mubarak first announced the increase in salaries: "It's a promise because they get paid at the end of the month, so that's when we'll find out what a 30% increase really means—because then it'll be physically tangible."
Yes, the 'tact' thing is weird.
How do they think, in the newsletter you sent me that this will affect the purchasing power parity of the lower and lower-middle income groups but won't affect the PPP of the higher classes? I don't get that.
E: Because the rich already have enough to remained unaffected. By rich they mean those with millions of dollars. Not us mate lol. We're considered middle class.
TM: Okay so salaries are getting raised 30 percent but only public sector, you think I would be like damn woop woot woot but no. to me that means 100 pounds or something cause they'll raise the base salary not the real salary we get RS you'll probably have the same thing, when you get a mokafa2a that’s what will get raised, cause that’s the salary they report they are paying you. Private sector sets salaries itself government can't tell it what to do. But I'm guessing if you work for a nice cool caring company they'll do that for you since gas prices esp. went up.
BK: Do you really think they consider us middle class? And is it true what's TM's saying about base salaries cos that would indicate the lack of transparency or accountability in salaries. I know that happens a lot though, like officially you'll be receiving 1500 LE when in reality you're receiving near 7 or 8 grand cos the donors money helps fund your salary. Things are so strange. And the worst part is that the media doesn't really report on these incidents.
E: Nothing in this country is transparent. It's sad. And yes, I do think we'd be considered upper middle class, because these gas price changes, the car license increases, the property taxes, etc... would actually impact us. We'd feel them. The rich won't really be affected because they wouldn't be taking from one budget and putting it into taxes or whatever. They'd continue to enjoy the same luxuries by spending more. We would probably cut down on shopping or something to compensate the extra costs.
BK: Yeah that does make sense. It's just that I think our definition of what constitutes class remains ambigious to remain complicit with our disassociation with the "rich" although people in the street automatically think we are the rich, don't they? Don't want to sound much of a ranter but our visual representation mostly equal in people eye's the rich and affluent and our own self-image is that off the preserved upper-middle class (although I don't even know if a word for that exists in colloquial Arabic, which would mean we can't even start to propagate our own self-image if our language isn't helping us). Anyways, I feel there's too much ramble. I think I've exhausted where I can go with this. But totally agree with you the gas price changes, the cigarette prices, the costs of food slowly increasing, taxis, etc will weigh on us more considerably. I think it will start to be truly evaluated only when we receive our salaries at the end of the month though and that's going to create a whole new typology of people—those who have significant increases in their salaries, those whose salaries don't REALLY increase, people who aren't even government, people who work in the private sector but had increases (and those who didn't), etc.
If that typology is what the government had in mind, then I guess the increase in salaries, if it were to benefit anyone, it would benefit the lower-middle and working poor who are civil servants the most and it wouldn't really effect us too much since most of our salaries are paid "behind closed doors" so to speak (I'm speaking about those who are officially employed in the public sector of course.)
Anyways, that's it.
E: But BK the salary increase won't benefit anyone. It's only harming the middle and poor classes further.
All these increases in prices are a direct consequence of Mubarak's insistence to overstretch the national budget and give a 30% increase to preserve or boost his image and avoid another strike or similar revolt. As there is no room in the budget for such a dramatic increase, the increases were announced as a method to pay the new salaries. With the new increases in prices, the cost of living is now more expensive than it was before the salary and thus price increases were put in place. Even with raises, the individual's PPP has dropped.
Fuel price increase = more expensive transportation = less money for other necessities.
Cigarettes have gone up, so those who will continue to smoke will find even less money left over for other necessities.
Car registration has shot up exponentially, so anyone who has a car is suddenly paying 10-fold what they used to, and thus will have a LOT less money left over for necessities. Those who can't afford a car can probably barely afford public transportation, and since that has been affected by the gas prices, that'll become even less affordable, as seen in the taxi example I sent you earlier.
Food and other necessities have been impacted by our country's current state of super-inflation, so the 30% increase, combined with the other increases in prices, will not cover the rising inflation rates.
So no, no one is benefiting.
Had all these reforms come into play 10 years ago when life was more affordable, then we'd have had the opportunity for proper improvement. Now, with the way inflation has busted everyone's guts open, all these changes have done is make a frustrated populace ten steps closer to revolution.
BK: But according to the attachment you sent, the way the government is making room for this increase by increasing the taxes on cigarettes and reducing the subsidies on gas. And this is the hope in raising the revenue for the increase in prices right? I think we should attach the PDF you sent me onto the blog as well and keep updating that file.
E: According to Nazif, "we will take from the rich to give to the poor". President Robin Hood and Minister Friar Tuck. And the government is putting its people between a rock and a hard place. Fine, it believes it is making room for this increase by increasing the taxes on cigarettes and reducing the subsidies on gas. But essentially, it has increased the cost of living far more than it has increased the salaries. The increased salaries have been rendered a moot point.
RR: Morning! Sorry for being MIA all, was on holiday. Came back to find 120 unread emails. Fun.
I want a raise. Was promised a raise mid-year. Now I better get two raises.
RS: I'd been given a raise a couple of months ago, but also nothing to do with the Mubarak decree.
BK: But I'm thinking Central Bank is still a governmental agency right (I mean I know they're privatizing and all, but they still are huh?) What about MT? He's MCIT (at least for now, congrats about Coke btw)
NF: No one ever gave me a raise
At which point, BK and K engage in their own form of witty banter
BK: Wanna get another post in today since our group is quiet and we've got time?
Proposed topic?
E: Easy. The current economic reforms
BK: I don't know what to think exactly. I have to admit something in me was made happy by the raise. A friend of mine's father in a professor of political science at Cairo University and he said that, jokingly, that this was a bad move cos know Mubarak's gonna make people think that if they voice their concerns they can get what they want---which I can't understand as being a bad thing (isn't this a measure of 'democratic' reform or something—I swear intellectuals are frustrating.) Anyways, that happiness was easily dissolved when they announced that gas prices were rising and then cigarettes yesterday went up as well. I didn't understand that.
Is the tagline here that, 'now that we've raised your salaries you sons-of-bitches, we expect that you, as a consumer, can afford the change in prices? What about the poor stratas that are not currently employed by the government and in the face of bread and cigarettes rising have no additional money to afford these new increases?
E: An example of the effects, from Sandmonkey:
"This guy I work with, while riding the Microbus with me, kept cursing Mubarak today. His government salary has increased by 37 pounds, but now the Microbus' fare has doubled, so now he has to pay extra 2 pounds a work day. If he works for 20 days a months, he is already worse off by 3 pounds. And what kills is that he raised the prices right after he announces the raise. This Mubarak guy, he has no tact!"
The Taxi Driver I rode with to work today. Oh, and by the way, the ride now costs 30 pounds, up from the standard 20. Increased Gas prices, baby!
BK: Yeah, I paid the taxi 25 pounds today from Dokki to Star Capital.
But it's like I said when Mubarak first announced the increase in salaries: "It's a promise because they get paid at the end of the month, so that's when we'll find out what a 30% increase really means—because then it'll be physically tangible."
Yes, the 'tact' thing is weird.
How do they think, in the newsletter you sent me that this will affect the purchasing power parity of the lower and lower-middle income groups but won't affect the PPP of the higher classes? I don't get that.
E: Because the rich already have enough to remained unaffected. By rich they mean those with millions of dollars. Not us mate lol. We're considered middle class.
TM: Okay so salaries are getting raised 30 percent but only public sector, you think I would be like damn woop woot woot but no. to me that means 100 pounds or something cause they'll raise the base salary not the real salary we get RS you'll probably have the same thing, when you get a mokafa2a that’s what will get raised, cause that’s the salary they report they are paying you. Private sector sets salaries itself government can't tell it what to do. But I'm guessing if you work for a nice cool caring company they'll do that for you since gas prices esp. went up.
BK: Do you really think they consider us middle class? And is it true what's TM's saying about base salaries cos that would indicate the lack of transparency or accountability in salaries. I know that happens a lot though, like officially you'll be receiving 1500 LE when in reality you're receiving near 7 or 8 grand cos the donors money helps fund your salary. Things are so strange. And the worst part is that the media doesn't really report on these incidents.
E: Nothing in this country is transparent. It's sad. And yes, I do think we'd be considered upper middle class, because these gas price changes, the car license increases, the property taxes, etc... would actually impact us. We'd feel them. The rich won't really be affected because they wouldn't be taking from one budget and putting it into taxes or whatever. They'd continue to enjoy the same luxuries by spending more. We would probably cut down on shopping or something to compensate the extra costs.
BK: Yeah that does make sense. It's just that I think our definition of what constitutes class remains ambigious to remain complicit with our disassociation with the "rich" although people in the street automatically think we are the rich, don't they? Don't want to sound much of a ranter but our visual representation mostly equal in people eye's the rich and affluent and our own self-image is that off the preserved upper-middle class (although I don't even know if a word for that exists in colloquial Arabic, which would mean we can't even start to propagate our own self-image if our language isn't helping us). Anyways, I feel there's too much ramble. I think I've exhausted where I can go with this. But totally agree with you the gas price changes, the cigarette prices, the costs of food slowly increasing, taxis, etc will weigh on us more considerably. I think it will start to be truly evaluated only when we receive our salaries at the end of the month though and that's going to create a whole new typology of people—those who have significant increases in their salaries, those whose salaries don't REALLY increase, people who aren't even government, people who work in the private sector but had increases (and those who didn't), etc.
If that typology is what the government had in mind, then I guess the increase in salaries, if it were to benefit anyone, it would benefit the lower-middle and working poor who are civil servants the most and it wouldn't really effect us too much since most of our salaries are paid "behind closed doors" so to speak (I'm speaking about those who are officially employed in the public sector of course.)
Anyways, that's it.
E: But BK the salary increase won't benefit anyone. It's only harming the middle and poor classes further.
All these increases in prices are a direct consequence of Mubarak's insistence to overstretch the national budget and give a 30% increase to preserve or boost his image and avoid another strike or similar revolt. As there is no room in the budget for such a dramatic increase, the increases were announced as a method to pay the new salaries. With the new increases in prices, the cost of living is now more expensive than it was before the salary and thus price increases were put in place. Even with raises, the individual's PPP has dropped.
Fuel price increase = more expensive transportation = less money for other necessities.
Cigarettes have gone up, so those who will continue to smoke will find even less money left over for other necessities.
Car registration has shot up exponentially, so anyone who has a car is suddenly paying 10-fold what they used to, and thus will have a LOT less money left over for necessities. Those who can't afford a car can probably barely afford public transportation, and since that has been affected by the gas prices, that'll become even less affordable, as seen in the taxi example I sent you earlier.
Food and other necessities have been impacted by our country's current state of super-inflation, so the 30% increase, combined with the other increases in prices, will not cover the rising inflation rates.
So no, no one is benefiting.
Had all these reforms come into play 10 years ago when life was more affordable, then we'd have had the opportunity for proper improvement. Now, with the way inflation has busted everyone's guts open, all these changes have done is make a frustrated populace ten steps closer to revolution.
BK: But according to the attachment you sent, the way the government is making room for this increase by increasing the taxes on cigarettes and reducing the subsidies on gas. And this is the hope in raising the revenue for the increase in prices right? I think we should attach the PDF you sent me onto the blog as well and keep updating that file.
E: According to Nazif, "we will take from the rich to give to the poor". President Robin Hood and Minister Friar Tuck. And the government is putting its people between a rock and a hard place. Fine, it believes it is making room for this increase by increasing the taxes on cigarettes and reducing the subsidies on gas. But essentially, it has increased the cost of living far more than it has increased the salaries. The increased salaries have been rendered a moot point.
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