The dominoes rally

First Tunisia, then Egypt. Whatever next? The laws of the Arab world are supposed to prohibit any domino effect: the military is supposed to be too strong, the governments too unresponsive. But these laws no longer hold now that two of North Africa’s most deeply entrenched leaders have been unsettled by popular protests. The ‘Arab street’ has suddenly become aware of the power it can wield. When President Ben Ali fled Tunisia with his wife (and perhaps some of the country’s gold reserves) alarm bells rang in palaces across the region. All over the Arab world reform is being nervously pledged. Even in Yemen, the president has promised to stand down — albeit in two years’ time. Whether the pledges are genuine, or simply a stalling tactic, the fear is palpable.

To determine whether a revolution is afoot, it is important to work out what is not happening. For example, it is not the case that outraged Arabs have just discovered that their leaders are repressive and corrupt.