Introduction
In early 2011, Egypt witnessed a major revolution, which attracted international attention. A popular uprising that emerged in January 25, 2011 in Egypt triggered the revolution. The uprising was characterized by widespread demonstrations, civil riots as well as strikes (MacQueen, 2011). The protesters were drawn from varied socio-economic and political backgrounds. The Egyptian revolution was largely inspired by the success of the Tunisian revolution that led to the overthrow of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (Roskin & Berry, 2010). Similarly, the Egyptians were determined to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak who had served for three consecutive decades. A number of legal, economic and political reasons led to the outbreak of the uprising.
The Causes of the Turmoil in Egypt in Early 2011
First, the Egyptian protesters were against the country’s state of emergency law. The law had been in effect in Egypt since 1981. The law extended police powers, legalized censorship and suspended constitutional rights (MacQueen, 2011).
According to Mubarak’s government, the law was meant to curb terrorism. Second, the Egyptian protesters were against police brutality. In most instances, the police and other law enforcement agencies used force in order to extract information from suspects (MacQueen, 2011). Third, the uprising was also triggered by lack of free and fair elections. During Mubarak’s reign, the electoral process was always characterized by corruption and manipulation of election results (MacQueen, 2011). Moreover, non-state actors as well as the country’s opposition were not allowed to monitor the elections.
The Egyptian turmoil of 2011 elicited mixed reactions across the globe. For instance, the Iranian government and its opposition had different views about the uprising. Ayatollah Khanenei who was Iran’s supreme leader when the Egyptian revolution broke out expressed his support for the uprising (Nikou, 2011). Khanenei described the uprising as a Muslim awakening. He further stated that the uprising was important because it would help in denouncing the treachery of Egyptian leaders. Khanenei’s remarks showed his preference for the Muslim Brotherhood, which Mubarak’s government had always opposed. It was also an indication of resentment towards the West that was an ally of Mubarak’s government. The opposition leaders in Iran also supported the Egyptian revolution. However, they saw the uprising as an example that other Arab countries should emulate (Nikou, 2011). The opposition further stated that the Iranians’ also required the freedom to demonstrate like the Egyptians.
The Prospects for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
The prospects for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt largely seem bleak. A number of the Muslim Brotherhood’s vocal leaders have been jailed whereas others have gone to exile. Consequently, this has jeopardized their operations and may affect their future activities in the country’s political arena. However, others have also argued that the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt can never be wiped out of Egypt’s politics.
Summary
The Egyptian and Tunisian revolutions have been considered as major revolutions in the Arab world (MacQueen, 2011). These uprisings inspired other revolts in different Arab countries. The revolution brought an awakening to the Egyptians. It enabled the Egyptians to overthrow Mubarak’s regime that was characterized by lack of freedom of speech, corruption and police brutality. Additionally, the Egyptians demanded for a non-military government in Egypt that would be responsive and allow citizens to participate in the country’s governance (MacQueen, 2011). The Egyptian revolution sparked varied views in different parts of the world.
For instance, the uprising was considered a major threat to diplomatic relations between Egypt and the United States of America. For several years, America had developed close relations with Egypt because of its adamant fight against terrorism. Thus, the overthrow of Mubarak’s government was seen as a setback to America. On the other hand, other Arab leaders described it as a revolution that would help to restore ideal Islamic principles in Egypt.
References
MacQueen, B. (2011). Q&A: What’s Behind the Unrest?. Web.
Nikou, S. N. (2011). Iranians Split on Egypt’s Turmoil. Retrieved from United States Institute of Peace: The Iran Primer. Web.
Roskin, M. G., & Berry, N. O. (2010). The New World of International Relations. San Francisco: Logman. Web.