debating progressive politics in Europe and beyond
On December 17, 2010, a 26-year-old street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in a small town in central Tunisia, unwittingly triggering a revolution that would ultimately overthrow a 24-year-long dictatorship in that country. Within a few weeks of this incident, revolts flared up across the Arab world, gripping countries from the Gulf [...]
It’s been 52 years since the revolution and Cuba is still unable to get its planned economy to work. Social services, once the pride of the revolution, are no longer affordable and are visibly deteriorating. The inefficiency of the economy also risks alienating the people form the government. Hardship is undermining the political pact that [...]
The ancient Chinese wisdom considers the wish “to live in interesting times” to be a curse. Contemporary wisdom is of two minds. Many would see that wish as a blessing. A human tsunami of unheard of – never remembered or already forgotten – proportions swept away, in a mere fortnight, a dictator perched for thirty [...]
Many commentators have referred to economic factors – stagnant incomes, high unemployment, price rises and rising poverty – as factors behind the Egyptian (and also Tunisian) revolutions, alongside the lack of political freedom, the liberating force of modern communications tools, etc. I haven’t had time to study this in detail, but here are a few [...]
The Egyptian revolution, to date an inspiring and seemingly entirely grassroots and popular uprising against an ossified, dysfunctional regime, is entering a critical phase. As I write – the curfew has just started on Sunday - the regime appears to be preparing to strike back. Cosmetic changes have been made to the government. Mubarak has [...]
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