This article reviews the history of Coptic political participation in Egypt. After stating that the period of the Ottoman Caliphate was "among the worst historical periods for Egypt's Copts," Lam‘ī comments that subsequent Coptic political history can be divided into four epochs.

These are the "golden age" in the first part of the 20th century, when the Wafd party gained the support of the large majority of the Egyptian people and "merged the Copts [into the political process] in a natural and spontaneous manner" to the point where the Copt Wīṣā Wāṣif became head of parliament.

This was followed by the post-1952 revolution, when the national current dominated and all other political persuasions were subservient to it. The choice of political cadres was made by the supreme leadership, the criteria being strong loyalty to the revolution and mindless obedience to orders. This led to the selection of lackeysand fawners; since there were no Copts among the Free Officers who launched the revolution, the result was that those Copts selected "were rejected by the people."

Then came the era of Sadat, "a professional politician, who knew that politics is interests, not slogans." Pope Shenouda also came to head the Coptic church, "and since both were intelligent and neither could exploit the other, the clash occurred." This, coupled with the continued selection of Copts without a popular following for appointment to parliament, eventually led to "Copts turning in on themselves and resorting to the church as a political party."

The fourth stage, according to Lam‘ī, was characterized by allowing political freedom within society, so long as "certain red lines were not crossed." Thus there was freedom of movement, but no forthright direction for movement, so it became necessary for the regime to assess the strength of the various currents and strike deals with them. According to Lam‘ī, "the strongest proof of this directionless movement is the nature of the Copts represented in parliament," he concludes.