The popular protests in early 2011 were once seen as a turning point in the history of the Arab world, raising hopes for democracy, freedom, and justice in the Middle East. A decade after the uprisings, these hopes are largely dashed in each country swept by popular protests with the exception of Tunisia. Tunisia became the only democracy in the entire region while Egypt saw its first freely elected president and government thrown out by the army in a bloody coup which resulted in a regime that is no less authoritarian than Mubarak's. This book provides a detailed analysis of the political, economic, and constitutional developments in Tunisia and Egypt. In the light of the existing literature on comparative democratization, the author explores why Egypt's path to democratization was eroded by several transitional actors while Tunisian political elite managed to move the country towards democracy. The book centers its focus on the role of the political agents in designing the transition and explores the transitional period with respect to the interactions among the political elite and their cost-benefit assumptions, ideological interests, as well as their commitment to democratic processes.
Ayfer Erdogan is lecturer of modern languages at Yildiz Technical University.
Chapter I: On Democracy and Democratic Transitions Chapter II: Democratization in the Arab Middle East Context Chapter III: Tunisian Revolution Chapter IV: Egypt's Failed Revolution Chapter V: Democratic Divergence between Egypt and Tunisia in the Post-Arab Spring Context
Based on the author's doctoral dissertation, this volume contextualizes a comparative political analysis of what has been popularly referred to as the Arab Spring. The central theme is the initiation of regime change from authoritarianism to some form of democracy, focusing on Tunisia in 2011, where this process has been somewhat successful, as compared to Egypt, the most powerful nation in the Arab world, where the process has largely failed. Erdogan provides a comprehensive literature review on democratic political theory in general, followed by a literature review on the occurrence of the phenomenon in the Arab Middle East. He notes that the differing role of civil society in both countries led to different outcomes in their respective transitions. Erdogan points out that the transition process requires political elites to reach consensus on the goals for the transition to democracy, setting aside partisan interests. In the case studies selected, the rise of Islamic groups was hindered by effective political leadership in Tunisia, which Egypt lacked. Ultimately, there is no clear path for a transition from an authoritarian regime to some sort of democratic structure. Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals. * Choice Reviews *
