In developing and underdeveloped nations, religion and economy are the two main things that the regime seeks to exploit to break down the obstinacy of revolting people and suppress society's anger. The army is the last card in the hands of the ruler if the people begin to question the sincerity of their clergymen and suspect that the country's economic policies will prove disastrous. It goes without saying that the poor and downtrodden categories are fertile soil for sowing soothing metaphysical ideas and unsubstantial economic promises, allegedly tailored to improve the living conditions of the poor. The poor are also exploited as fertile soil for faiths to metamorphose and attract bigger numbers of worshippers; the poor and the downtrodden are the bridge, which carries their philanthropists (the rich) to eternal happiness in Paradise. On the other hand, clergymen treacherously exploit their religious knowledge to distort the holy texts, kindly confirming that God pats the heads of His poor worshippers and insists that they be given a fair share of His materialistic blessings on Earth. And, since man appreciates human community and his sociable existence, the poor have been used as a testing ground for crimes and related penalties. Allying with the regime, whether dictatorial or democratic, and keen to preserve their wealth, the rich spend lavishly on clergymen, economic experts and bankers who constantly bombard the heads of the poor – suspected eternally as being envious, lazy and beasts – with soothing words. Inevitably, once the poor recover and become aware of the reality around them, nothing will stop the hurricane. That is why looting, sabotage, vandalism, arson attacks on private and public property, and mayhem are common features in the aftermath of any revolution or uprising. Likewise, the Islamist regime in Egypt has over the past two weeks mobilised economic experts and senior bankers to boost clergymen in their desperate efforts to tempt the poor voters to support the controversial Constitution. Clergymen set aside the traditional sermons at Friday prayers to urge Muslim worshippers, traumatised by the disastrous economic aftermath of the January 25 Revolution, to support the Constitution. The local press gave extensive coverage to a three-way meeting of President Mohamed Morsi, Prime Minister Hisham Qandil and Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) Farouq el-Oqda. The rumourmongers claim that the CBE Governor submitted his resignation to the President. El-Oqda is also rumoured to have warned that the national economy is on the brink of collapsing, foreign and Arab donors having allegedly lost their enthusiasm to help Egypt financially for political reasons. Sources allegedly close to the three-man meeting say that donors led by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have decided to withhold the financial and economic aid planned for Egypt to survive its worst economic crisis in more than five decades. The suspension of foreign and Arab financial aid is allegedly unavoidable, in the wake of the instability and violence ahead of the referendum on the Constitution. Sitting next to the baby-faced Prime Minister, the CBE Governor was said to have warned the President that the national economy is on the brink of collapse, as the country's foreign currency reserves keep on spiralling downwards. The reserves have slipped to $15 billion from more than $35 billion before the uprising of nearly two years ago. El-Oqda also reportedly deplored that a $4.8bn loan promised by the IMF has been suspended as a result of the chaos over the Constitution, that is meant to be a lifebelt for the economy. Economic experts say that el-Oqda also complained to the President that the Egyptian pound can no longer stand up against the mighty dollar, especially as foreign investors and tourists have reacted negatively to the political mayhem in the street and the alleged state of indecisiveness at the Presidential Palace and the Cabinet headquarters. In the meantime, according to official statements, the budget deficit now stands at LE170bn and this could soon increase to LE200bn, while foreign debt has hit $34bn. Regardless of the bleak economic prognosis, the referendum on the Constitution has so far cost the State budget no less than LE400 million. Despite the growing economic nightmare, Egyptians keep on taking to the streets to protest. They complain that everything has become so expensive, while workers have a passion for downing tools at the drop of a hat, in order to strike for a pay rise. The poor have been playing their time-honoured role again: the results of the first round of the referendum reveal that the Constitution has received the most support in poor Upper Egyptian governorates like Sohag, Assiut and Aswan. Without the poor, Islamists would not have any strong shoulders to ride on, as they chant religious slogans in praise of the Constitution.
