Nature of The Arab Spring - Research Paper Example

Nature of the Arab Spring The essay discusses the Arab Spring, a series of revolutions throughout the Arab world, and its implication for international relations. The role of Islamic sectarianism in the outbreak of these revolutions is examined. Particular emphasis is given to the revolt in Egypt, where conservative religious groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood retain great power. Introduction The 2011 to 2012 Arab uprising was not a surprise to many observers who argue that sustainability of status quo is impossible. The trends witnessed in North Africa through Middle East have led many critics to explore the political trends in these countries. It is evident that the political system in these countries promoted dictatorial regimes, which promoted corrupt practices because of little checks and balances from the greater citizens. History records that attempts t institute democracy in these countries failed to take shape in the past, but this did not deter determined Islamic organizations such as Muslim Brotherhood from plotting attempts to replace the dictatorial regimes. The wave swept from the Tunisian coast to Bahrain and currently in Syria. While it is evident that modern system of communication played a vital role in influencing the views of the people towards making an informed opinion against these regimes, many critics believe that the uprising was a time bomb that would explode at sometime in history. Egyptian Revolt Majority of Egyptians have demonstrated through interviews that the urge to change the political regime propelled the revolt. The Egyptians Arab spring began as an activists protest against the oppressive regime of President Hosni Mubarak. Critics to the Egyptian Arab spring have mentioned that the spring was not new in Egypt; however, it involved the ordinary citizens that had never streamed into the street a decade ago (Gelvin 26). Protest against Mubarak regime addressed political interest, with the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic movement playing a crucial role in previous protest (Council on Foreign Relations 125). Muslim Brotherhood activists had taken a center role in influencing the Egyptians communities to reject the Mubarak regime in the past and failed. The Egyptian government had outlawed Muslim Brotherhood alongside other activist movement that intended to create political change. Not surprisingly, the precedent of the Egyptian Arab Spring borrowed a lot from the fallen Tunisian Ben Ali regime, which was subject to mass protest. The Egyptian protest started on 25 January and took 18 days before the then president relinquish power (Council on Foreign Relations 125). The structure of the Egyptian Arab Spring embraced peaceful demonstration with thousands of Egyptians coming out in large numbers, boycotting their activities, praying and chanting change of regime in Tahrir Square. However, the Egyptian government tried to use military force to repress the Arab Spring, but failed. The solidarity of the Egyptian people and the peaceful nature of the protest contributed greatly to its success. It is important to acknowledge the role of media in influencing the people. Face book was critical to the success of the movement because most people responded positively to face book messages that attracted to the protest (Council on Foreign Relations 123). Previously, Egyptian media controlled the activities of the journalists as well as oppressing journalist that were against the government. Information dissemination in the society is a powerful tool that can shape a political course. It is apparent that police and other military officers battered protestor at the beginning of the protest, Mubarak officers dressed in plain cloths posed as protestors and whipped people out the Tahrir Square, but failed to secure success because of the determination of whole public. The uprising in the Arab world had youthful characters that represented western lifestyle as opposed to the Arab lifestyle. Historians argue that the youthful cohort was easy to mobilize to represent various political interests (Gelvin 21). Majority of the Egyptians youths, 60% have degrees, yet they do not have jobs that could sustain their lives. Political critics believe that the above condition created “wait hood” which a time bomb. Lack of unemployment, coupled with tyrannical regime promoted majority of the youths to take part in the mass protest. The characteristic of the Egypt Arab Spring has a large composition of youths as opposed to other protestors. Some critics have observed that demographics in the Arab world created a susceptible condition that would lead to revolt (Gelvin 22). The morality of the Arab youths in the current regime differs from the past. This situation makes it easy to manipulate the current youths into acting against the government demands. The decline in morality is very important when it come to delinquent behavior. Life frustration translates into rebellion. History records previous rebellions in other parts of the world because of life frustration (Gelvin 21). The same was evident during the Arab uprising, where majority were frustrated youths who faulted the political regime that promoted their misery. Prior to the uprising in the Arab world, western countries had demonstrated their dissatisfaction with previous political regimes, which had plunged the world into the global economic crisis. In America, the democrats toppled the republican regime, in Italy, the prime minister bowed to the politicians protest and resigned (Pollack 221). The trend also influenced the citizens of the western countries to match into the street and protest against any government to add additional taxations. On the contrary, the political systems in the Arab countries are weak. The structures separating the ruling party, the ruler, institution that is ruling are not definite. This situation limits the power of the public to address their demands to the government. Critics of dictatorial systems believe that the system cannot sustain transitions as observed in the western countries (Pollack 223). Tunisia Arab Spring The Arab Spring in Tunisia is evidence that police state cannot restrain the public outcry from taking its course. Tunisian uprising started on December 2010 following Mohamed Bouazizi open protest against the economic opportunities of his country and police disrespect to civilians. Bouazizi set himself a blaze in protest of the Ben Ali’s regime. The nature of politics in Tunisia favored dictatorial leadership, where police states were common. The elite in the Tunisian society had engaged in corrupt practices that were intolerable to the Tunisian society following the waves of the economic turmoil. Analysts have observed that the economic turmoil that swept through the southern Europe made the situation in Tunisia and other Africans countries to waiver economically. However, other critics suggest the oppressive government practices as a motivator towards the uprising. The demonstrators who swam in the streets of large towns in Tunisia made it difficult for the police and the military to control. The promises issued by the then president about the political reform could not influence the public to stop their protests. It is important to note that the government used military intervention to influence the protest. On the other hand, the Jasmine Revolution protestors swam into the streets with placards burning the portrait of the president to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the regime. Political analysts have suggested permissive factors that created a susceptible condition for the uprising in Tunisia (Hassan 142). Political system of Tunisia repressed democracy, despite the call by the international community to the government to institute the democratic process. The corrupt practices in the Ben Ali’s government promoted inequality and unemployment in Tunisia. These conditions did not only frustrate the Tunisian people but also created permissive conditions that would lead into street protest. Following the open action of Bouazizi, the Al-Jazeera television and other media channels aired the information about the incident in Tunisia. The corruption in the country coupled with hard life conditions promoted many citizens to spring into the streets despite the government oppression and Ben Ali’s promise that he would introduce democracy (Hassan 142). Media coverage influenced the revolution because people could borrow the revolution ideologies and put them into practice. Political analysts Martha Crenshaw argued that revolutionary ideologies spread from one continent to the other through media. Such ideologies find use when similar conditions that promoted their eruptions occur. The media was very instrumental in influencing lives during the revolutions because many Arab countries felt the reverberation of the Tunisia revolution as well as further uprising that the Arab countries have witnessed lately (Shamoo 125). Political analysts argue that narrowed political sphere in Tunisia created an opportunity for open protest. The corruption in the political system did not distribute wealth equally in country creating a wide poverty gap between the elite and the ordinary citizens. History records that an introduction of political reform in the Arab world in the 1980s snarled due to oppressive forces that the government contracted to wipe the leaders calling for political inclusion (Shamoo 88). While the call for reforms in the past was a practice of a few elite and activists, the present Arab Spring is an inclusive process that bring the brings the whole society together. It is notable that the majority of the composition of the demonstrators comprised of the youthful age. The 1980s prohibitions in most Arab countries have warped following the unstoppable wide spread of political uprising in which peaceful demonstration took the center role on the demonstrator’s side and brutal and oppressive trends surfacing on the government side (Shamoo 89). Critics have been keen to evaluate the western hand in the Arab uprising. Some critics have observed that Americans were silent in the Jasmine Revolution, but demonstrated open interest in sending forces to topple Libyan president Mohamed. The American media did not take a center role in propagating the Arab Spring. However, Al-Jazeera television and other Islamic channels were keen in influencing the citizens of Tunisia and other Arab countries to take an active role in changing the political landscape of the nations (Shamoo 89). The quest for political freedom seems to be central factor that motivated the Tunisians to jump into the streets. Ben Ali’s government had been ruling for the last 23 years with making any political reformations. His promises during the protest could not meet the threshold required to influence the protestors to negotiate the reforms. Libya Arab Spring The Libyan revolt that led to the ousting of Col. Qaddafi was bloody culminating into the death of Qaddafi. The political system of Libya did not recognize any democratization that would lead to election (Pollack 223). This is evident through the over forty-year rule by Col. Qaddafi. The elite just like other Arab countries consolidated political and military power and were not ready to replace their system with another system. However, political critics believe that ousting of Qaddafi was a ploy that hatched in the western world (Hassan 138). The Arab Spring created a permissive environment for hatching and implementing the ploy. Libyans went into the streets, protested against the regime of Qaddafi. Unlike the protest in Tunisia and Egypt, militia groups took a center role in retaliating government brutal attacks against the civilian. This action promoted NATO troops to descend in Libyan airspace and carried out attacks against Qaddafi forces. The Libyan demonstration started with simply protest against the authoritarian regime, but culminated into a civil strife between forces that backed the dictatorial politics against the rebels that called for secular system of politics (Brunn 132). It is interesting to note the Libyan conflict attracted political interest from the Arab world, where Qatar sent his forces to back the militant that fought to oust Qaddafi. The rebel action in the country expanded towards Surf a stronghold city where Qaddafi military machinery protected him. Critics believe that Libyan spring differs in context with other Arab uprising witnessed in Egypt and Tunisia because of the support that militia groups got from the western world (Gelvin 27). The media is another important factor that orchestrated the Arab Spring in Libya. Libya received political pressure from the world to relinquish power and allow constitutional change. The economic situation in Libya did not trigger the whole process, but the authoritarian rule that undermined the freedom of the people. Western countries have played great role in planting secular ideologies in Arab countries. Some observers have noted that US and other western countries train activists and support their course to introduce secular system of governance in their countries (Hassan 138). This argument is evident through aids that United States and the western countries offer in the Arab world to empower women education. Historian believe that the knowledge that people acquire through education do not only help to change the common societal trends but also help in innovating new ideas to solve societal problems (Hassan 145). The argument tends to explain the urge demonstrated by the Libyans to change the political dynasty of their country despite government incentives and interventions in modulating the lives of its citizens. Arab Spring in Yemen Yemen is a country that had endured conflict since 1960s between various factions that sought to create a change in political system of the country (Pollack, et.al. 221). Yemen people got an inspiration from the Egypt successful uprising, which toppled Mubarak, more than two-decade dictatorial rule. Face book and other social networking sites played a critical role influencing the people of Yemen to take into the street. The slogan during the Yemen uprising is not different from previous slogans observed in Tunisia and Egypt. The Yemeni people demonstrated their dissatisfaction with their current political structures, which favored autocracy. Political critics pointed out that the gathering of the youths in Sana’a’ al-Tagheer Square was evidence of failure in the traditional political system and parties to create an efficient political structure (Pollack, et.al. 221). The instability witnessed in Yemen was an outcome of failed dictatorial regimes in instituting good political will. The nature of the Arab Spring in Yemen was peaceful demonstration. The youths have taken a center role in staging the spring as well as mobilizing the country to reject the current political system (Brunn 121). The change that the current seem to demand is the political space, which other western countries have been enjoying. The role of the media has been impressive in promoting the activities of the spring. However, some observers believe that Saudi Arabia and United States have failed to take a stand against Yemen president or push for democracy (Brunn 110). It is probable that Yemen movement does not have strong hidden hand that could push for change as observed in other countries. History of Yemen reveals a number of factors that have created a permissive environment for the Arab Spring (Pollack, et.al. 222). These factors include tribalism, regional division, security concern, and poverty. The escalating cases of unemployment are worrying trend that promote the grouping of the youths and other unsatisfied persons against the current regime. Arab Spring in Bahrain The Bahrain Arab Spring is not different from the Arab uprising in Egypt. The youths of the country mobilized the society to come out it large numbers to protest against the monarch system of governance. The Bahrain government responded to the protesting public with heavy artillery from the military and the police. The development of the Arab Spring has tainted the image of monarch system of governance. Critics believe that the spring is evidence of public dissatisfaction with the tyrannical system of government where the government structure does not allow the public participation in decision-making (Peters 213). The spring elicited police and military brutality against the civilians who went out in the street. The king of Bahrain succeeded in controlling the public uproar against his government by using military means. However, the situation does not promise stability in the future. Sustainability of the tyrannical governments has proved fraught with frequent political upheavals whenever the society feel fed up with the present system. The forces that descended from Saudi Arabia extinguished the uprising. Political critics believe that Saudi Arabia took the step to safeguard the monarch system of government because its future was at stake (Peters 157). Media influence was evident from the beginning of the uprising through its reporting. The social media took the center role in influencing the public into the uprising. Arab Spring in Syria The Arab Spring in Syria has culminated into unstoppable confrontation between the public demand reforms and the government that seems to protect the status quo. The protest began after the toppling of the Mubarak and Libyan governments nine months ago. The protest has spread to the capital of the nation making it a lasting scar to the present government. The protest began peacefully; however, the brutal intervention by the government forces has led to military retaliation by the protestors (Peters 156). The current situation is uncontrolled bloodshed caused by government and militia bombing of both government premises and civilians homes. While the intention of the protest was to create political reform, the incumbent government has exercised brutality against the protestors. Observers argue that the backing that Syria has acquired from Iran financially and military has helped the government to remain intact against the wave of the protest. Russia has also engineered its support to Syria. On the contrary, the protestors have demonstrated little effort to stop the protest. Political critics have remarked that the political reform is the key factor that has embroiled the Arab spring (Peters 130). It is observable that the spring is against the dictatorial political regimes that have tried to reform in the past and failed. For instance, the call for reform in Syria has failed to yield any substantial outcome since the initiation of the process a decade ago. The trend taken by the uprising has attracted diplomatic interest. Special envoys from the Security Council have tried to broker peace deals because of the escalating cases of humanitarian crisis. However, some observers believe that the move has not conclusively solved the situations. Syrian protestors are still directing their protest against Assad government in the street. It is probable that the Arab Spring will spill to other Arab countries that have promoted authoritarian regimes. In conclusion, Arab Spring is a time bomb, which exploded because of accumulated frustrations that the citizens of these countries could no longer contain. The street demonstrations in the western countries spilled to Tunisia following the tough economic times. Since the political system is Arab countries are weak and promote authoritarianism, they have not been able to counter street protest through change in political leadership. The Arab Spring started as a mere street demonstration, however; the current events in Syria demonstrate that military retaliation by civilian has developed its course due to excessive brutal power exercised by these government. The future of the authoritarian regimes seems very slim following the unending protest against these regimes. Work cited Brunn, D. Stanley. Cities of the World: World Regional Urban Development. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. 2012. Print. Council on Foreign Relations. The New Arab Revolt: What Happened, What It Means, and What Comes Next. Washington DC: Council on Foreign Relations. 2011. Print. Gelvin, L. James. The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2012. Print. Hassan, A. Hamdy. Regional Integration in Africa. Bridging the North-Sub-Saharan Divide. Accra: African Books Collective. 2011. Print. Peters, Joel. The European Union and the Arab Spring: Promoting Democracy and Human Rights in the Middle East. Maryland: Lexington Books. 2012. Print. Pollack, M. Kenneth. et.al. The Arab Awakening: America and the Transformation of the Middle East. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press. 2011. Print. Shamoo, Adil. Equal Worth. University Press of America. 2012. Maryland: University Press of America. 2012. Print. Read More