POLI 340 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, National Transitional Council, Iranian Revolution
21 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Significant differences in how regimes weathered the period and outcomes of overthrown regimes. Middle east is typically thought of being unstable". 1990s in eastern europe and latin america in particular) Eve of arab spring: highly authoritarian, highly stable nations. Minimal prospects for actual political change: 2009: only morocco, jordan, and yemen are even partially free (elections but no change in power) Change in december 2010: bouazizi self-immolates protesting government harassment in tunisia. January 2011 president zine el abidine ben ali flees country (seemed highly entrenched until this point; not at all seen as a potential for democratic transition) and transitional government formed. Later successful elections held in october; islamic-secular coalition, and new constitution adopted in 2014. Positive signs: technocratic government and successful elections; pm loses no- confidence vote in 2016 and successful transition. Worrying signs: high unemployment and low economic growth; sporadic terrorism; perceptions of corruption: january 2011: protests begin in egypt (tahrir square)
