1977 Egyptian Bread Riots. Will History Repeat?

1977 Egyptian Bread Riots The Egyptian "bread riots" of 1977 affected most major cities in Egypt from 18–19 January 1977. The riots were a spontaneous uprising by hundreds of thousands of lower-class people protesting World Bank and International Monetary Fund-mandated termination of state subsidies on basic foodstuffs. Egypt’s bread revolution Pouring onto the streets in an unprecedented uprising last year, Egyptians toppled their dictator of three decades with resonating, populist chants for “bread, freedom and social justice.” But while more freedom and social justice remain a possibility for Egypt, bread might be harder to come by. The country’s growing population, and its loosening grip on the Nile, are threatening its water supply, weakening its capacity to irrigate crops and boosting the desert nation’s reliance on food imports from an increasingly volatile global commodities market. It’s a dangerous situation many fear could lead to renewed politic