Rebellion in the Time of Cholera: Failed Empire, Unfinished Nation in Egypt, 1840–1920

British colonialism in Egypt marked a period of a failed empire and an unfinished nation. The colonial administration and the co-opted native ruling elite attempted to unify the north with the south—the Delta with Upper Egypt—into one market, the basis for a modern state. Nevertheless, the empire's capitalism in Upper Egypt proved utterly incompetent, faced bailout crises, and generated environmental catastrophes including the cholera epidemic. Thus, the separatist south was constantly simmering with subaltern rebellion, where ruthless bandits assumed leading roles.