A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TUNISIA AND EGYPT’S TRANSITIONS TO DEMOCRACY
Creators: name: Barakat, Farah
Publisher: name: My University
Year: 2023

description: Democratization is a complex and multi-faceted process that involves a shift from an authoritarian political system to a democratic one. Many countries have undergone democratization over the years, but the process is often challenging and prone to setbacks. The Arab Spring has pushed democratisation to the forefront of global politics in recent years, with Tunisia and Egypt being two of the most prominent nations to go through such a transformation. The Arab Spring, a series of upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area, began as a hopeful movement for democracy, but quickly descended into civil war, sectarian disputes, tribal rivalries, and the growth of neotraditional and Islamist groups throughout the region. Tunisia managed to maintain democratic development for a decade before falling to a democratic backslide. Egypt, on the other hand, was unable to continue the transition, and by 2013, a military coup had restored an authoritarian rule more dictatorial than Mubarak's. The selection of the two nations is based on their apparent resemblances, yet significant fundamental differences that exist between them. Both countries started their democratisation processes in the same way and with the same supporting factors, but the outcomes were very different. Egypt appeared to possess favourable conditions for a transition towards democratic governance, owing to the presence of robust governmental institutions and a thriving civil society. Contrary to popular belief, a military administration gained power and the process was halted. Tunisia, on the other hand, had a few successful elections, overcame a political divide, and adopted a new constitution. This research paper seeks to examine the democratization processes in Tunisia and Egypt and analyze the internal and external factors using democratization theory in order to understand why did the Tunisians succeed for a decade when Egypt failed? A theoretical democratization framework will be tested on Tunisia and Egypt to further understand the similarities and the differences in their transitions. The paper begins with an overview of democratic theory and the relevance of the democratization process in contemporary society. It then discusses the key elements of the democratization framework, including political, economic, and social elements, as well as the factors that influence the democratization process, such as internal and external factors. The research then delves into two case studies, Egypt and Tunisia, to analyze the democratization processes in these countries. For each case study, the paper provides a historical overview of democracy, background of democratization process, key elements, and factors influencing the 3 democratization process. Additionally, the research will analyze the democratization process in both countries and examine the role of political and civil society actors. The paper concludes with a summary of the key findings and argues that while a universal framework for democratization can be a useful guide for transitioning countries, it must be adapted to each country's unique political, social, and cultural contexts. The study emphasizes that successful democratization requires a deep understanding of the historical, cultural, and political factors that influence the transition process, as well as the ability to identify and address specific challenges.