A Catch 22

A Catch 22:  a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule <the show-business catch–22—no work unless you have an agent, no agent unless you've worked — Mary Murphy>; also :  the circumstance or rule that denies a solution 

"Catch-22." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.

An illustrated example of a Catch 22

In this example the economy will not improve unless there is a rise in employment, but the companies don't want to hire anyone until the economy improves.

In Zaat (pg 198) "Then he went on about an illness: a ramified stone in his kidney and high blood pressure, and to remove the stone needed surgery, which meant the blood pressure had to be controlled, but the blood pressure was caused but the stone initially..."
The limiting conditions of the man's kidney stone and high blood pressure prevent him from making any progress in his health. In a way, the state of Egypt as a whole is stuck in a Catch 22, in which the state is so broken that no progress can be made; corruption in the government can not be stopped unless the people and the police take action, but the police are so corrupt they cannot take action to clean up the government.