The Impact of Social Media on Politics in the Arab World - Research Paper Example

? How Social Media Influenced the Political Decision in the Arab World How Social Media Influenced the Political Decision in the Arab World Introduction On December 17, 2010, an exasperated Tunisian fruit vendor called Mohammed Bouazizi performed self-immolation as a way to protest against the confiscation of his produce by the corrupt Tunisian police. He was rushed to a hospital and would survive for the next few days before finally succumbing to his injuries. At first, his regrettable actions appeared to be the simply the misguided act of a frustrated fruit seller. However, once the news of his actions spread in the town of Sidi Bouzid, there were riots that were seen to be a sympathetic act from fellow frustrated and jobless Tunisians. Moreover, when he died days after setting himself on fire, he sparked events that would rock the Middle East. Serious riots that started off in the city of Sidi Bouzid while Mohammed was still alive would spread, after his death, to the cities of Menzel, Kasserine, Bouzaiene, and Thala in Tunisia. What came to be known as the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, and resulted in the collapse of its president’s government, did not stop at its borders. Numerous Middle Eastern nations experienced similar revolutions and a few had their governments overthrown. The Effect of Mohammed Bouazizi’s Action Mohammed’s actions would jolt the governments of not just his native Tunisia, but also Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Algeria, Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, Sudan, and Morocco (Dalacoura, 2012). Other governments such as the Jordanian and Saudi Arabian governments would quickly ratify additional financial benefits for all their citizens in a desperate effort to discourage similar revolutions from taking place within their borders. What came to be known as the ‘Arab Spring’ was characterized by the incidence of collective civil uprisings staged by members of society of different genders, ethnic backgrounds, and social standing in different predominantly Muslim nations across the Middle East. The large youthful populations of these nations were at the forefront of tracking the progress of the revolutions and encouraging members of neighboring nations to take up the cause of the revolution. This was accomplished through the use of social media sites such as Twitter and Face Book. The youth would use these sites when communicating with the youth of different neighboring nations about progress of the revolution in other nations and would also use them to raise awareness about methods that different states were using to try and suppress it. While it is a fact that the social media sites were instrumental in organizing protests in different nations and communicating about the progress of the revolution, it cannot be said that they were successfully used to bring about much needed change and freedom of expression in Middle Eastern nations. What was began as a revolution for the establishment of democratic change in Middle Eastern nations has only resulted in the moderate transformation in a few nations. Research Question: How much change did the use of the social media sites actually foster in the lives of the individuals who were involved in propagating the causes of the Arab Spring? Has the use of social media sites resulted in any significant social as well as political changes within the Middle Eastern nations that experienced the revolution? The Significance of the ‘Arab Spring’ Even before the days of the Arab Spring, the youth in Middle Eastern nations had already become well acquainted with the different uses of the social media. For instance, according to Comunello & Anzera (2012) for years before, Egyptian as well as Tunisian youth had been using Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to express their frustration at the retrogressive policies of the government while also calling for street protests. They were, thus, well versed with the capabilities of the internet. All over Middle Eastern nations in which people could not openly express their anger at government strictures, the internet became the safe place for discussing issues. Bloggers would also regularly disseminate the news that would not be broadcast by the state-controlled broadcasting stations. Social media sites essentially created a forum in which Islamists as well as secular-minded Muslims could honestly debate on issues affecting their nations and what they all felt was the best way to tackle these problems. Theories on the ‘Arab Spring’ Moreover, it is quite excessive to state that it was because of the social media sites that the populations of many Middle Eastern nations were prompted to stage the protests that resulted in the toppling of number of governments. In addition, the use of social media sites also introduced a new medium for communication which would contribute to greater instability in the future. According to Comunello & Anzera (2012) marshalling support for social protests through social media sites is especially dangerous because regional mobilization usually does not result in the democratization of local or even state owned organizations, but can actually inspire a deeper entrenchment of the totalitarian regime. Hypothesis – The reality is that the use of the social media by protestors during the Arab Spring could not possibly have accomplished democracy, even if it was successful in the overthrow of many strongmen. It merely created a situation where the instigators of violent power struggles acquired an additional forum in which to share their opinions with supporters while perpetuating propaganda about their opponents. Literature Review Sociological Theories In as far as change is concerned, there are additional factors that play a greater role in instigating it. While social media sites could play a small role in marshalling support for anti-government causes, they definitely are not the only reason why social movements such as the Arab Spring take place. According to Affaya (2011) the resource mobilization theory asserts that social movements usually occur on the basis of a cost/benefit format where people are rational actors who participate in targeted actions that utilize institutions to foster mobilization as well as secure resources. This theory does not take into account the contributions of social as well as cultural influences in enacting social mobilization. Moreover, its assertions could be proved, particularly when the revolution reached Egypt (El-Mahdi, 2012). In Egypt, the army was perceived as being on the side of the people and was used as the final weapon to compel President Hosni Mubarak to relinquish his hold on power. The new social movement theory, on the other hand, makes use of social constructionism in evaluating social movements; thus focusing on identity as well as culture as the fundamental factors in realizing mobilization. In as far as the Arab Spring is concerned, the collective social identity of being the victims of repressive governments was also a factor that played a huge role in how events were played out. In regards to political theories, the tipping point theory, stipulates that there are factors that contribute to the breakdown of a state, such as financial crises, which can result in mass mobilization. The concepts in this theory were evident in the collapse of governments in bygone eras such as in 1789 France. Louis XVI’s government was rocked by a fiscal crisis and widespread hunger. The forthcoming revolution occurred because the tipping point had been reached and the King had been unwilling to respond to the needs of his people. Among the nations that experienced the Arab Spring, there was not one that was correctly implementing the democratic laws set up in different constitutions to look after the rights of citizens. Mohammed Bouazizi himself doused inflammable liquid on his body and lit a match to it because he was tired of his rights being constantly breached by law enforcement authorities who could not be prosecuted. The bloody Russian Revolution of 1917 also reached a protest-driven tipping point due to the scarcity of basic goods as a result of war debts. A different revolution theory is that of state breakdown. According to Affaya (2011) state breakdowns can easily take place even in the absence of tipping points. This is because in a state-breakdown, there will be conflict between different factions which will strive to become eminent in a social attention space where there is only limited space. In their competition, some factions split, are forced to be by-standers to the clash, or simply evaporate. Since the Arab Spring affected Egypt and President Mubarak was ousted, there have been varying factions that have turned the nation into a haven of conflict; resulting in many Egyptian citizens wondering if the former totalitarian government ought to have been maintained. Discussion The fact that the social media played a role in marshalling support in different nations for the Arab Spring cannot be disputed. However, just as the motives of the revolution are questioned, the function of the social media also has to be questioned (Billingsley, 2011). In some nations, such as Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, authoritarian rulers were violently removed from power. However, not much else has been achieved. Even though the dictators are gone, it would appear that the conditions that made their dictatorships a possibility still exist (Haddad, 2012). It was presumed in many Arab nations that the use of social media sites would somehow herald the start of a new era that, along with its use of modern methods of communication, would oversee the initiation of new and more transparent forms of government. However, it is obvious that this did not happen. The protestors would have been more successful in imbuing the social media sites with the power of change if they had actually focused on overthrowing not just their dictators, but also their dictators’ retrogressive policies. In any nation, this is much harder to accomplish than merely overthrowing a dictator. In the Arab Spring, protestors in different nations were not actually against repressive social structures as well as political systems. In the end, the revolution appeared to be a movement that brought some semblance of political consciousness to a deeply repressed people who were so excited by the fact that they could openly challenge their governments for the first time that they did not push further for more in-depth reforms of repressive ruling systems. It is a fact that it is more difficult to create democratic institutions than for a dictator to establish oppressive rule over an entire nation (Dalacoura, 2012). In as far as the Arab Spring is concerned, the additional flattening of previously established institutions, makes it harder for the new government to disregard the temptation to rule oppressively and just make rules on behalf of others. In nations such as Egypt, which are now plagued by insecurity, many protestors may even begin to seek a ‘strongman’ to rescue the nation by restoring order. The establishment of true democracy, which has to take into account different political, social, and economic interests is a far more painstaking process. Ways in Which the Use of Social Media may have compromised the Arab Spring Social media sites are good for marshalling support for helpful and positive causes. However, there are fundamental laws that have to be followed; otherwise, the entire operation can lose credibility. For instance, the Arab Spring resulted in the emergence of different political factions in nations such as Egypt (Valbjorn, 2012). To gain a majority of supporters, these factions will engage in exaggerating the faults of their opponents while extolling their own. The reality is that the social media brings the best results in times of crisis. However, it loses some of its savor as the choice forum for communicating with supporters when the issues being addressed cannot be easily categorized into what is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong’. Another reality is that the social media is more helpful when people are marshalling others for causes than when a government that has been popularly elected is trying to come up with the right policies. In reality, throwing out corrupt leaders is much easier and more enjoyable to do than communicating to supporters about the compromises that are necessary in order to form an inclusive government. It would appear that the social media, which was widely embraced as the place for revolutionaries during the Arab Spring, became a problem once the new governments or policies had been passed (Billingsley, 2011). This has resulted in a dangerous polarization in many nations that experienced the Arab Spring. Essentially, the popular use of the social media sites during the revolution erroneously convinced millions of youths and young adults in the Middle East that their differences could be overcome if they simply removed their despotic governments. However, the reality was that political conflicts that were caused by the existence of institutional uncertainty and genuine ideological differences among the people had been obscured by the excesses of the former dictatorial governments (Billingsley, 2011). With the removal of the strongmen, the populations were forced to confront realities that had not been so evident before. No camaraderie created over social sites could tackle this reality. All the social sites did was to generate an information bubble that convinced the masses that the serious issues did not exist. After the new governments had been installed, though, even this deception fell. Conclusion The extensive use of social media sites during the Arab Spring was quite beneficial because it did away with the monopoly that the former repressive governments had over popular opinion as well as over different information. It is only by maintaining a tight hold over the information that the authoritarian governments in nations such as Egypt and Libya could rule over so many years. However, this new freedom is not enough to positively influence the present governments in nations which had new governments installed. There is much more to be done in order to create tolerant societies and inclusive governments. References Affaya, M. N. (2011). The ‘Arab Spring’: breaking the chains of authoritarianism and postponed democracy. Contemporary Arab Affairs, 4(4), 463-48 Billingsley, A. (2011). Writing Constitutions in the Wake of the Arab Spring: The Challenge of Consolidating Democracy. Foreign Affairs. Comunello, F., & Anzera, G. (2012). Will the revolution be tweeted? A conceptual framework for understanding the social media and the Arab Spring. Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations, 23(4), 453-470. Dalacoura, K. (2012). The 2011 uprising in the Arab Middle East: Political change and geopolitical implications. International Affairs, 88, 163-79 El-Mahdi, K. (2012). Arab Spring in Egypt: Revolution and Beyond. Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press. Haddad, B. (2012). Syria, the Arab uprisings, and the political economy of authoritarian resilience. Interface: a journal for and about social movements, 4(1), 113 – 130 Valbjorn, M. (2012). Upgrading Post-Democratization Studies: Examining a Repoliticized Arab World in a Transition to Somewhere. Middle East Critique, 21(1), 25-35. Read More