Introduction.
In every country, the citizens have their expectations for their leaders. Across the board, there are, however, similarities, for example, leadership, creation of employment opportunities, and prompt addressing of issues that arise. When a reigning government tramples over these basics, the people get restless, and it is just a matter of time before they demand to be heard and for change. Sometimes, revolutions can go sullied with some new evils. In this paper, the Arab Spring is evaluated, and its impact is examined across the board.
The Arab Spring movement was inspired by the actions that happened in Tunisia. In 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi, who was 26 years old at the time, in protest of the harassment he underwent under the city officials immolated himself. He was a street vendor whose goods were confiscated after the officials found him trading without a license. He tried to have his case heard and for him to pay whatever penalty was required in addition to the license to release his merchandise. However, the local officials unfairly treated him, resulting in him protesting by lighting himself. He later would succumb to the severity of the burns.
Throughout Tunisia, a protest spread inspired by Mohamed’s action as the citizens protested against unemployment and poor government. It was dubbed in Tunisia as the Jasmine Revolution. The protest inspired other countries in North Africa and the Middle East to start a revolution; thus, the Arab Spring was born. It spread from Tunisia to Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, and Libya (Jones, 2012).
Impact of the movement
In almost all countries, one of the effects of the movement was the formation of political parties. A bid for better leadership and addressing economic issues that pressed the citizens resulted in new leadership spearheaded by the new political parties. It is crucial that it comes with tension and can be polarizing. This is mainly because whatever party systems evolve, it is a function of the history of the specific country, and time is needed to have them rooted and become self-sustaining (Hamid, 2014).
In Tunisia, the impact of the movement was that President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, the reigning president, stepped down and had to flee the country. Tunisia had its first free election later in 2011 in October. Additionally, three years later, Tunisia promulgated its new constitution. In its transition period, Tunisia embraced the coalition-building model. The Troika coalition included the Islamists, Liberals, and the Leftists, and with the inclusion came the legitimacy of the power (Hamid, 2014). The significant challenges that Tunisia has faced after a decade are police brutality, a slow economy frustrating the citizens, and fracas within the system (Grewal, 2021). They, however, through their struggle, became the first nation to successfully transition into a democracy, and that is not a small achievement. Going by history, ten years is too short to judge the stabilization of a nation.
The steps taken and the general impact of the movement are that it will decrease the amount of terrorist activity emanating from the country. The Troika coalition ensured that all parties were represented at the table. Fair representation leads to people feeling that they have a voice and that their needs are prioritized. In the previous paragraph, the problems facing Tunisia were mentioned. The citizens are likely to hold demonstrations over their grievances about the issues; however, there are less likely to be terroristic activities because progress is what is the concern, unlike previously, when the foundation of the nation irked the people.
However, the government needs to address the issues in a timely manner because when people have fought for a revolution, they expect to reap from it (Grewal, 2021). Sometimes, it is possible to undermine how quickly a government may become unpopular and cause unrest when the citizen’s expectations remain unaddressed or unmet.
The Youth in the Arab Spring
Reading through the different experiences of the different North African and Middle East countries, an interesting similarity is that the youth were at the forefront of the protests (Anderson, 2013). They were marching in the streets, recording and sharing their real struggles with the world. In all cases, the motivation was either political or economic, but mostly both. Economically, the high unemployment rates frustrated the youth, who found themselves unable to make a living or progress as society expected them to. Local authorities also made it difficult to carry out business.
On the other hand, politically, the countries were under harsh regimes. The governments oppressed the people, mismanaged resources, and restricted civil liberties. The educated youth eager to change their lives turned numbers. Researching through various sources, there was no noticeable funding model. I think majorly because it was a people’s initiative. The planning was also done via different social media platforms, allowing them to run their plans without funding.
In conclusion, the ultimate goal was a better political and economic future. It is an achievable goal, although it may take time, and the routes used by the various countries will largely differ. The effect of the Arab Spring on state- and non-state-sponsored terrorism in the region differed from country to country. For some, Like Tunisia, it brought a more peaceful country. In other countries, the revolution took an unexpected turn, with terroristic groups dominating the scene (Gunaratna, 2018)
References
Anderson, C. W. (2013). Youth, the “Arab Spring,” and Social Movements. Review of Middle East Studies.
Grewal, S. (2021, January 22). Ten years in, Tunisian democracy remains a work in progress. Brookings. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ten-years-in-tunisian-democracy-remains-a-work-in-progress/
Gunaratna, R. (2018). The Arab Spring: Is Al Qaeda on the Wrong Side of History? Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses.
Hamid, S. (2014, December). POLITICAL PARTY DEVELOPMENT BEFORE AND AFTER THE ARAB SPRING. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/research/political-party-development-before-and-after-the-arab-spring
Jones, P. (2012). The Arab Spring: Opportunities and implications. International Journal.
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