Notes for World History
THE ARAB SPRING
- The series of anti-government protests and demonstrations known as the Arab Spring.
- Began in Tunisia in December 2010. In less than a month, Ben Ali , president for 23 years, was forced to give up power.
- Encouraged by the rapid success of the revolution in Tunisia, a wave of unrest and violence swept across North Africa and the Middle East in countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Sudan, Yemen, Bahrain and even Saudi Arabia, where the lack of democracy had enabled leaders to stay in power for many years.
- Eventually, the revolutionary protests spread to two of the largest states in the region0Libya and Syria. In Libya, Gaddafi, who had been in power for 42 years was captured and killed. In Syria, protests are still going on.
What caused the Arab Spring?
- Lack of genuine democracy in most countries meant that dictators and absolute monarchs had been able to stay in power for long periods.
- There was corruption at the top levels, concentration of wealth in hands of the ruling classes, and human rights violations.
- The educated younger generation resented the lack of jobs, the immense gap between wealthy elite and rest of the population, and the corruption.
- The educated youth had the skills to organize strikes and demonstration more effectively by using social networking internet sites.
- High food prices in 2010 caused great hardship among the already poverty-stricken unemployed workers.
- Events in Tunisia sparked of similar protests and uprisings that made up the Arab Spring.
