Notes on the Tunisian Revolution
From day one it was clear this was a revolution that was not about bread only, it was also against dictatorship and corruption. The revolution was supported by all segments of society. Poor, middle class, and even upper middle class. Especially the middle class showed its claws in the last days in Tunis. Many friends of mine who live there and who are university students or employed in good positions were in the street, also taking tear gas and bullets.
Notes on the Tunisian Revolution
by Dyab Abou Jahjah
From day one it was clear this was a revolution that was not about bread only, it was also against dictatorship and corruption. The revolution was supported by all segments of society. Poor, middle class, and even upper middle class. Especially the middle class showed its claws in the last days in Tunis. Many friends of mine who live there and who are university students or employed in good positions were in the street, also taking tear gas and bullets. The youth played an important role in all this and cell phones combined with Facebook connected through proxy services was the media of the revolution. The trade union (UGTT) played the role of the momentum regulator and political indicator. It was clear that as long as the trade union kept on declaring strikes the battle was on, and that was the signal to the people to stick to the streets. Yet we cannot say that the trade union led the revolution; it rather synchronized with it, especially the last crucial two days.
On the political level there was no single party or current who played a major role. The traditional opposition that is mainly in exile tried to coordinate and even thought of a government in exile. But the momentum of the revolution was too fast for such plans to materialize. The people had no leader but itself. This however posed a problem for the revolution as to how to organize transition of power: who will take over. There were only three options: exile government (but that would be only in the long run); military coup; or some figure from the regime institution will take over. Now it seems that the two last options are still open. Ghanoushi the prime minister is from within the establishment, but it is very likely that he will be in power for few days only, some believe few hours. Rumors about General Ammar taking over and appointing the speaker of the house El Mbazaa as caretaker till elections are organized in 60 days are now circulating within the ranks of the Army and the political scene.
