Egyptians preferred Western culture over Soviet during the Soviet alliance era

Evidence

There is a growing tendency, particularly among intellectuals on the one hand and among business people on the other, to recall sadly “the days when Egypt had free and open contact,” and exchanges both of goods and ideas, with the West. Russian films are found to be heavy and didactic and quite incredibly boring. Cinemas which show American or West European films are usually crowded; those which show Russian films are almost invariably half-empty. This is a source of quiet satisfaction to many Egyptians and of baffled resentment to Russians. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 1299

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to soft-power and cultural-imperialism debates, and to how a patron’s cultural output can alienate rather than attract its client state.