This post is more than 14 years old
Politics move quickly and opinions evolve. There's a good chance I no longer hold some of the opinions expressed in the post below
—Mustapha
Will Arabs Always be Ruled by Despots?
August 5, 2011 · Mustapha Hamoui
Despotism is a frame of mind as much as it is an individual imposing his writ on all. Arabs striving to regain their liberty and impose the rule of law will have to break down complex structures of obedience and conformity that were, or still are, manipulated by their leaders. These structures include fear of violent repression, but also oppressive ideologies, sectarian prejudices, social and financial dependencies, a tendency to engage in self-censorship, and much else.
In other words, we shouldn’t make this about the Mubaraks, Assads and Husseins of this world, but about making a collective mental jump from “ruler and ruled” to “social contract”.