Structured Response

   Nassar was very successful for a rather short period of time. All of his political strategies and social implementations were meant to give the appearance of working in favor of the middle class, but were essentially working to ensure the survival of his regime.
   By making higher education free and guaranteeing white-collar jobs after graduation, the middle class grew in both size and power. This was part of Nassar's goal, because it gave his regime the support and loyalty of the middle class. In addition, he used social conditioning to gain their support, using what can almost be called propaganda. Nassar made certain that students, in all levels of education, were taught Arabic and Islamic values, socialism, and nationalism. This was meant to increase the students' pride of their country and understanding--and therefore approval--of Nassar's regime.
Such forms of conditioning and almost bribing gave Nassar the power to silence opposition. However, costs caught up with him, the unemployment rate rose again, and the Muslim Brotherhood and other organizations still gathered underground. Carrie Rosefsky Wickham rightly states, "By indoctrinating a generation of educated youth in the ideas of anti-imperialism and socialism, the Nassar regime had created the very cadres that would ultimately turn against it"; in other words, Nassar's plan backfired. All that he had conditioned the youth to believe went against his very regime, and they did not fail to recognize it.
   Islamists today may have succeeded in gaining support due to the touting of traditional and national values, just like those that Nassar conditioned students to feel. By joining the population under one identity, one set of values, Islamists gain popularity. However, also like Nassar, these strategies will not prove to be successful forever.