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Divisive rule: sectarianism and power maintenance in the Arab Spring: Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria
[working paper]
Corporate Editor
Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik -SWP- Deutsches Institut für Internationale Politik und Sicherheit
Abstract "In early 2011, popular movements in Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria protested against authoritarian and corrupt regimes and political leaders. They mobilized on platforms of national unity and accused established leaders of exploiting historical divisions along religious and sectarian lines to def... view more
"In early 2011, popular movements in Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria protested against authoritarian and corrupt regimes and political leaders. They mobilized on platforms of national unity and accused established leaders of exploiting historical divisions along religious and sectarian lines to defend their grip on power. These divisions however quickly came back to the fore, leading to the failure of the movements, bitter conflict and, in the case of Syria, to devastating civil war. The purpose of this research paper is to show that these outcomes were brought about by the strategies that regimes and political leaders employed to defeat the challenge that popular movements presented to their rule. To this end, they exploited specific weaknesses that made it impossible for these movements to hold on to the inclusive platforms which initially had gained them support across all social groups. A historical perspective reveals that the success of these strategies resulted from historical experiences and practices of authoritarian and violent forms of leadership and rule. European policymakers should therefore reject arguments that ethnic or sectarian conflict can only be contained by authoritarian rule. Once they are seriously challenged, authoritarian rulers unfailingly resort to exploiting such conflicts, and add yet another chapter to a history of civil strife that will in turn generate new violence. In divided societies, today's authoritarian stability begets tomorrow’s civil war. Instead, external actors need to seek out and strengthen potentials for participatory governance and for solidarity that cuts across the existing lines of division. The events of 2011 have demonstrated that both exist in these societies, but need help to prevail against divisive rulers." (author's abstract)... view less
Keywords
Bahrain; Iraq; Lebanon; Syria; Middle East; Arab countries; political development; political change; protest movement; authoritarian system; political power; securing of power; ethnic conflict; religious conflict; political violence; social conflict; Sunni; Shiite; civil war; political participation
Classification
Political Process, Elections, Political Sociology, Political Culture
Peace and Conflict Research, International Conflicts, Security Policy
Free Keywords
Arabischer Frühling; politische/ gesellschaftliche Mobilisierung; Nationale Versöhnung
Document language
English
Publication Year
2014
City
Berlin
Page/Pages
31 p.
Series
SWP Research Paper, 4/2014
ISSN
1863-1053
Status
Published Version; reviewed
Licence
Deposit Licence - No Redistribution, No Modifications