what factors are causing this situation?
Unemployment
The Arab world has a long history of struggle for political change, from leftist
groups to Islamist radicals. But the protests that started in 2011 could not have
evolved into a mass phenomenon had it not been for the widespread discontent
over unemployment and low living standards. The anger of university graduates
forced to drive taxis to survive, and families struggling to provide for their children
transcended ideological divisions.
Aging Dictatorships
The economic situation could stabilize over time under a competent and credible
government, but by the end of the 20th century, most Arab dictatorships were
utterly bankrupt both ideologically and morally. When the Arab Spring happened
in 2011, Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak had been in power since 1980, Tunisia’s
Ben Ali since 1987, while Muammar al-Qaddafi ruled over Libya for 42 years.
Most of the population was deeply cynical about the legitimacy of these aging
regimes, although until 2011, most remained passive out of fear of the security
services, and due to an apparent lack of better alternatives or fear of an Islamist
takeover.
Corruption
Economic hardships can be tolerated if the people believe there is a better future
ahead, or feel that the pain is at least somewhat equally distributed. Neither was
the case in the Arab world, where the state-led development gave place to crony
capitalism that benefited only a small minority. In Egypt, new business elites
collaborated with the regime to amass fortunes unimaginable to the majority of the
population surviving on $2 a day. In Tunisia, no investment deal was closed
without a kick-back to the ruling family.
National Appeal of the Arab Spring
The key to the mass appeal of the Arab Spring was its universal message. It called
on the Arabs to take back their country away from the corrupt elites, a perfect
mixture of patriotism and social message. Instead of ideological slogans, the
protesters wielded national flags, along with the iconic rallying call that became
the symbol of the uprising across the region: “The People Want the Fall of the
Regime!”. The Arab Spring united, for a brief time, both secularists and Islamists,
left wing groups and advocates of liberal economic reform, middle classes and the
poor.
Leaderless Revolt
Although backed in some countries by youth activist groups and unions, the
protests were initially largely spontaneous, not linked to a particular political party
or an ideological current. That made it difficult for the regime to decapitate the
movement by simply arresting a few troublemakers, a situation that the security
forces were completely unprepared for.
Social Media
The first mass protest in Egypt was announced on Facebook by an anonymous
group of activists, who in a few days managed to attract tens of thousands of
people. The social media proved a powerful mobilization tool that helped the
activists to outwit the police.
Rallying Call of the Mosque
The most iconic and best-attended protests took place on Fridays, when Muslim
believers head to the mosque for the weekly sermon and prayers. Although the
protests were not religiously inspired, the mosques became the perfect starting
point for mass gatherings. The authorities could cordon off the main squares and
target universities, but they could not close down all mosques.
Bungled State Response
The response of Arab dictators to the mass protests was predictably awful, going
from dismissal to panic, from police brutality to piecemeal reform that came too
little too late. Attempts to put down the protests through the use of force backfired
spectacularly. In Libya and Syria, it led to civil war. Every funeral for the victim of
state violence only deepened the anger and brought more people to the street.
Contagion Effect
Within a month of the downfall of the Tunisian dictator in January 2011, the
protests spread to almost every Arab country, as people copied the tactics of the
revolt, though with varying intensity and success. Broadcast live on Arab satellite
channels, the resignation in February 2011 of Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, one of the
most powerful Middle Eastern leaders, broke the wall of fear and changed the
region forever
https://www.thoughtco.com/the-reasons-for-the-arab-spring-2353041
ANALIZE THIS: https://gsdrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/HDQ1350.pdf
