The Roots of the Tunisian Revolution: Elements of a Political Sociology

Abstract

The uprising of the Tunisian people against Ben Ali triggered a period of political turmoil and revolutionary activities throughout the Middle East and North Africa. In this contribution I will narrate the unfolding of the Tunisian events that started as regional socio-economic protests but coalesced into a national revolt by focusing on the different actors, social groups and classes that mobilized against Ben Ali. The self-immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi was not so much the starting point of the Tunisian revolution but rather the rallying point for different types and forms of protest to converge into a national uprising. In other words, the Tunisian revolution did not come out of nowhere but has a history. This contribution therefore wants to map the genealogy of the protests and oppositions. The forces that coalesced in late December 2010 and the beginning of January 2011 can be traced back to the consequences of the neoliberal economic policies that were implemented by Ben Ali. By focusing on different social groups and classes and their interests, and by situating them into the Tunisian political economy of the last decades, I want to shed light on the complex alliances and conflicts that existed within the ‘Tunisian people’ that seemed to act as one during the episode on the barricades against Ben Ali.