POLI 340 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Ali Abdullah Saleh, Arab Spring, Al-Assad Family
21 Dec 2016
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Why middle east studies missed the arab spring: the myth of authoritarian stability. Muammar al-qaddafi: took charge of libya in 1969. The assad family in syria since 1970. Ali abdullah saleh: became president of north yemen in 1978. Hosni mubarak took charge of egypt in 1981. Zine el-a(cid:271)idi(cid:374)e be(cid:374) ali took (cid:272)harge of tu(cid:374)isia"s preside(cid:374)(cid:272)y i(cid:374) 1(cid:1013)(cid:1012)(cid:1011) Why did these dictatorships last so long in the face of democracy spreading over east asia, e. Europe, and other middle eastern countries (iraq, turkey: prospect of instituting democracy in face of firm authoritarian regimes. Few specialists explained stability of arab regimes in cultural terms: ex. Avoided : democracy is incompatible with islam: ara(cid:271)s did(cid:374)"t passively a(cid:272)(cid:272)ept authoritaria(cid:374) rule. Autocrats stayed in power by oppressing those that sought to unseat them: citizens did have desire and ability to mobilize against dictators. However, authoritarian gov. were before 2011, good at preventing them.
