Comments on: Transition to Democracy in the Arab World?

By: Peace and the Social Condition: Introduction « Jeffrey C. Goldfarb's Deliberately Considered

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:21:53 +0000

[…] reflections in recent years, concerning the transformation of Central Europe, and also concerning the attempted transformations in the Middle East and North Africa, and to politics of Occupy Wall Street. The proposition also informs my review and analysis here of […]

By: Silke

Silke — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:12:25 +0000

I read an interesting report in my daily paper TAZ today by their correspondent in Kairo, Karim El Gawhary. He says that one of the most striking aspects of what is happening at the moment is that people, strangers, when they meet, share their stories of experiences of repression and poverty, but also their hopes. Often, they end up holding each other in their arms after listening to each other. El Gawhary calls it a “moment of public therapy”. Seems like the process of learning what to say after “No” has started, even though it promises to be long one.

By: Denis Fitzgerald

Denis Fitzgerald — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:36:39 +0000

Good point about people not knowing what to do after saying ‘No.’ There appears to be some hope that skilled and educated expats will return to Tunisia and help build capacity. In Egypt, another expat ElBaradei is billed (by many) as the one to lead a post-Mubarak government. This is different than in Iran in 2009 when there was a reform movement with a leader and a plan inside the country. Unfortunately, Ahmadinejad was able to organize counter-protests and suppress the reformers, something neither Ben Ali or Mubarak were capable of. So while there is overwhelming opposition to Ben Ali and Mubarak, it does seem that there’s not really a plan beyond saying ‘No.’ Let’s hope an inclusive one emerges.