What are the 2011 Arab Spring’s lessons for now?

Ten years ago, revolutions erupted in Egypt and Tunisia, and rapidly spread in the Middle East and North Africa. Workers and poor people enraged by their living conditions toppled dictators.

World capitalist governments were taken by surprise. Why did Marxists in the Committee for a Workers’ International foresee that uprisings were coming?

What was the outcome of the Arab Spring movements? Why did some go further than others, and why have none achieved the full aims of protesters?

What is the significance of revolutions in the region since? And what is needed for the further upheavals which are already brewing to finish the job?

This episode of Socialism looks at the tenth anniversary of the Arab Spring: lessons for today.

Further reading

Ten years since the 'Arab Spring': https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31923/27-01-2021/ten-years-since-the-arab-spring

Egypt: The road to the 2011 revolution: https://www.socialistworld.net/2021/01/25/egypt-the-road-to-the-2011-revolution/

Tunisia: explosion of protests against government austerity (2018): https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/26747/17-01-2018/tunisia-explosion-of-protests-against-government-austerity

Iran: strike wave marks new stage in revival of workers' movement (2020): https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/31329/09-09-2020/strike-wave-marks-new-stage-in-revival-of-iranian-workers-movement

Lebanon: mass protests cut across sectarian division (2020): https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/30278/12-02-2020/lebanon-mass-protests-cut-across-sectarian-division