KYHOI

In our quest to answer questions about the revolutions happening in the Arab world, we strive to find where it all started. I’ve heard many accounts beginning with, “It all started last summer when…” To find the origins of these events is not an easy task. Yet, a good question to ask ourselves is, has the government changed over the years or simply the people? Prior to the general public’s knowledge of American and European lifestyles, were the people as dissatisfied with their government? It’s possible they simply knew nothing different and managed to be content out of their ignorance. Sure, Egypt experienced a high volume of tourists, but it’s fair to say that they really knew little about freedom and alternative lifestyles until the internet and social media came about.

However, the revolution was not going to just happen; someone had to pave the way. That someone was Mohamed Bouazizi, who was a fruit vendor that was arrested for not having a permit to sell such goods. After being humiliated by the police and desperate for work, Bouazizi set himself on fire as a way to demonstrate to the people not to live in fear. Tunisia was in uproar and overthrew their dictator, Bin Ali. Encouraged by this, Egyptians fled to the streets in a similar manner only treated more brutally by authorities. They were also successful in overthrowing their dictator, Muareck who fled the country. Now, Libya has the same goal in mind only their dictator, Gaddafi hasn’t gone anywhere and does not plan on it.

Throughout history we can compare Revolutions and say that many would not have happened without the others. The French Revolution, for instance, took place after the success of the Americans over Britain. The only thing that has changed since then is the connectivity to everyone in the world. New ideas are being spread, people feel they have choice in how they want to live, and everyone who has the internet knows what’s going on everywhere. This is only the beginning.