Arab exceptionalism? A case study of Egypt’s regime breakdown

Abstract: The focus of this study is to examine how an authoritarian regime within the Arab world, remarkably stable and long deemed as inhospitable to democratic tendencies, ‘suddenly’ witnessed mass pro-democracy movements and ultimately regime breakdown. In this thesis the case of Egypt is discussed. Firstly, in an attempt at establishing the core working mechanisms of an authoritarian regime; the conclusion being that the answer lies in the regime’s hybrid nature coupled with its access to rents and international legitimacy, and factors which have sustained its coercive methods and capabilities; and not cultural or religious attributes of the region. Secondly, the core mechanisms resulting in the breakdown of the regime is established. Here again, the hybrid nature of the regime is argued to play a key role. With its periods of liberalization, civil society has been allowed space and, consequently, grown. These movements were later able to seize the opportunity and galvanize masses, spurred by the successful revolts in Tunisia and peoples’, long overdue, discontent with President Mubarak and the regime.