Applications of Elite Theory and Domino Theory in Arab Spring Countries

Abstract

The name has no meaning if it does not carry an expressive and explanatory meaning for the entity that contains that name, especially if the meaning has a positive character. Therefore, the intentional will behind the name is more important than the name in its abstract form. Hence, we are not very interested in searching for a name for what happened and what is still happening in the Arab region in terms of movement, as much as we are interested in following the driving reasons and the results that emerge from this movement, the active forces within its framework, and the national, regional, and international dimensions of this movement. If this movement is called an Arab Spring as the West called it, or peaceful revolutions as the Arab masses and parties supporting it called it, or coups, rebellions or terrorism by parties opposing it or not agreeing with it, then what is certain, certain and important is the availability of a collective desire in Arab society for political, social and economic change that leads to a satisfactory level of human development, freedom, justice and human dignity, provided that this change necessarily includes the ruling elite regardless of its form and type. The desire of the masses and the forces allied with it or benefiting from its movement has focused on the necessity and inevitability of getting rid of the ruling elite that has been historically associated with corruption, backwardness and injustice according to the point of view of the Arab forces and masses, in addition to the necessity of changing the system of values ​​​​that it has been associated with, especially those that conflict with the new targeted values. Since the ruling elites in Arab countries, in addition to the various objective circumstances (political, economic, social, intellectual, etc.) that surround Arab societies, are similar to a certain extent. Despite the difference in their names (republican system, monarchy system, for example), the transmission of waves and factors of change from one Arab country to another has become easier within the framework of what is known as the domino theory. This is what happened and is happening today with the Arab regimes. From here, we can better understand the nature of change and its goals in the Arab region when we examine it within the framework of analyzing the domino theory and the elite theory.