A nose for revolution

By Naguib Mahfouz

---

I don't know anything about economics, so I am in no position to comment on whether a complete revolution in our economic life would help or hinder. What I do know, though, is that underwriting every revolution in history there must be a major reassessment that focusses on the morality of the age. Any revolution is destined to fail if it is not backed up by a holistic moral system. There are two ways that we might arrive at such a system. The first is a long- term proposition, and it rests principally on education and the media: the former sows the seeds of morality in people while the latter should not work against hampering the resulting growth. The short- term way involves fighting corruption and exercising an uncompromising respect for the law.

In the period following Akhenaton's reign, it was said that it would no longer be possible to prosecute the corrupt because that would entail emptying the entire bureaucracy of employees. The chopping off of hands or noses was carried out instead, so as not to interrupt the flow of life. Eventually this put an end to corruption -- an example of a moral revolution within a particular, post-Amarna context.

Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy