The abuse of public positions is a common practice in countries ruled by dictators. Bureaucracy and complicated laws are conducive to corruption. This is accompanied by a weak justice system and concentration of power in the hands of the upper classes. Ultimately, this leads to a decline in social confidence and hampers economic development, which in turn can lead to revolutionary movements.

Muḥammad Ǧarrāḥ’s novel addresses the issue of corruption rooted in Egyptian state media from the early seventies to the outbreak of the revolution on January 25, 2011. The novel Šibh dawla (State-like) begins with the narrator’s story about the poor village he comes from. He talks about his innocence and ignorance about the rights prevailing in the capital. He talks about his disease – schistosomiasis, widespread in the Egyptian villages, which is caused by dirty water.

The main character is also the narrator of the work. As a radio reporter, he was never involved in politics. He saw the injustice but thought it was not his business to stand up against it. Despite his great qualifications and talent, he would not be able to realize his dreams of being promoted to a higher position. It was particularly painful for him, because some peers and even younger colleagues had been promoted a long time ago, becoming his superiors:

After thirty years of work in the same position, the hero decided to act and meet the minister to draw attention to the injustice that happened to him. During the visit to his office, he could not speak and eventually left to the accompaniment of laughter and mockery about himself from the minister and his advisers.