PSCI 257: Rethinking Social contracts in MENA region, Heydemann reading

What was a key driver behind the mass protests in the Arab world in 2011?

Popular anger over development strategies that benefited regimes and their networks while eroding economic security and social mobility for large segments of society

What was the initial hope following the 2011 uprisings regarding economic governance

That government would adopt new and inclusive ‘social contracts’ which emphasized equity, reduced subsidies, and empowered private sectors

What trend replaced the hoped for new social contracts in the region post 2011

regimes adopted repressive exclusionary frameworks that suppressed economic claims and narrowed economic citizenship (only helped people loyal to regime, punished protestors, and stopped treating things like subsidies or public jobs like rights for all citizens)

How did Arab governments handle the economy before 2011?

They used coercive distribution - public jobs, food subsidies, and cheap housing to keep people happy and avoid protests, even if it was not fair or sustainable long-term

How did things change after 2011?

Governments started treating benefits like rewards for obedience, e.g. if you criticized the regime, you could lose access to jobs, subsidies, or even citizenship

What does economic citizenship refer to?

Your right to get things like government jobs, subsidies, and help from the state. After 2011, those rights depended on perceived loyalty and were no longer guaranteed rights

How did Egypt show this shift in action?

The gov. passed laws banning protests, attacked labour unions, and passed laws allowing state to take away citizenship for economic dissent

What role did the middle class play in the 2011 protests?

Middle-class people started feeling abandoned and insecure (once were protected by public jobs/state support) thus them joining protests showed the ‘old system’ had broken down

How did most Arab govs. respond to protests?

Instead of reforming, they used more repression by blocking protests, punishing critics, and doubled down on staying in power

How did Gulf Monarchies react?

Still worried about unrest, thus they reduced subsidies and tightened control on pop. by using threats like taking away citizenship

What happened to efforts by the World Bank and Western countries to encourage fairer economic systems?

Most Arab govs. ignored or resisted them because real reforms would mean giving up control over money and power

What is the articles conclusion about the future of fair social contracts in MENA?

The idea that govs. will treat citizens fairly and equally seems dead for now, as regimes are instead giving rewards for loyalty and punishing dissent, making life harder for anyone who wants to speak out