ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ITS IMPACT UPON POLITICAL INSTABILITY: AN INDEPTH EXAMINATION OF THE ARAB SPRING
Open Access
Author:
Mcconnell, Emily Elizabeth
Area of Honors:
Economics
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
James R. Tybout, Thesis Supervisor Bee Yan Roberts, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Economic Growth Political Instability Arab Spring
Abstract:
The events of the Arab Spring caught many off guard for the tumultuous revolutions that occurred in a previously stable environment. This work will address what factors could incite a nation to undergo a revolution or some other form of civic unrest. This area is very relevant as poor economic performance can dissuade investors from a region, further harming its growth and leading towards governmental unrest. The main factors examined within the work will be the influence of known theories such as the resource curse, coup contagion and the affect of political unrest. Other key factors, such as the literacy and unemployment rates, will also be examined within the context of a regression model. The focus of this research will be limited to the nations of Tunisia, Egypt and Syria as they have all been affected by the tumultuous events in varying degrees. The research shows that economic growth has some impact on political instability, though the exact levels are inconclusive.
