Will Arabs Always be Ruled by Despots?

Michael Young:

Despotism is a frame of mind as much as it is an individual imposing his writ on all. Arabs striving to regain their liberty and impose the rule of law will have to break down complex structures of obedience and conformity that were, or still are, manipulated by their leaders. These structures include fear of violent repression, but also oppressive ideologies, sectarian prejudices, social and financial dependencies, a tendency to engage in self-censorship, and much else.

In other words, we shouldn’t make this about the Mubaraks, Assads and Husseins of this world, but about making a collective mental jump from “ruler and ruled” to “social contract”.