The pauper’s revolution

Tunisia is often portrayed as the only example of a successful Arab revolution. In actual fact, compared to 2011, the economic situation has not improved.

January carries a strong symbolic significance for Tunisia. It was January in 1984, when a revolt triggered by a rise in the price of bread put Habib Bourguiba’s presidency in jeopardy. And it was January once again in 2011 when what Tunisians refer to as the Dignity Revolution burst onto the scene and removed the dictator Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali. In January 2018, a new wave of protests engulfed the country from Sfax to Tunis, from Monastir to Kasserine, from Gafsa to Ben Arous. This time, however, even a casual observer couldn’t help noticing that it was not a revolt, much less a revolution.

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