PSC 321 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Hosni Mubarak, Supreme Council Of The Armed Forces, Authoritarianism
18 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Mass Uprisings Against Authoritarian Rule
Last Week
● Explaining authoritarianism in the MENA
○ “Authoritarianism upgrading”
○ Other factors:
This Week
● Popular protest and mass uprisings against authoritarian rule
● Tunisia
○ Mass uprising: December 2011
○ President Ben Ali fled: January 2011
● Egypt
○ Mass uprising: January 2011
○ President Hosni mubarak: Deposed, february 2011
● What happens after an authoritarian ruler is deposed
Egypt: 2011 Uprising
● January 5, 2011
● Mubarak resigns:
○ February 11, 2011
● Distinguishing between:
○ Why did people participate in mass protests?
■ Economic grievances (discontent about unemployment, etc.)
■ Political grievances (discontent about corruption, police brutality)
■ Are grievances enough?
○ Why was Mubarak ousted?
Lessons
● Uncertainty
● Timing / sequence
● Post-authoritarian overthrow
○ Removing a dictator does not always lead to democratization
Questions to Consider
● What happens after an authoritarian leader is overthrown?
○ Democratic transition?
○ Another authoritarian regime? (egypt)
○ Civil War? (syria, libya, some degree in yemen)
● What explains these different trajectories?
○ Role of the military
○ Other actors
Egypt: 2011-Present
● February 2011 - May 2012
○ Mubarak is deposed
○ Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF)
○ Protests against SCAF (spring / summer 2011)
● May 2012 - July 2013
