Corruption
is a problem that is apparent all around the world and affects the integrity of
a country’s government. Today there are extensive problems with corruption in
the Arab world that have caused internal conflict. In the Arab world, there
usually is a ruler that stays in power for long periods of time which the
citizens can do very little about. These long periods in which a person is in
power allows them to set up useful connections and acquire mass amounts of
wealth. The mass amount of power that a ruler has in the Arab world allows them
to manipulate all parts of society to be beneficial to them resulting in unethical
antics. This corruption, which is seen in many forms, has been a driving force
in the Arab Spring movements and has gained support in Yemen, Egypt, and Libya
in 2011 to work to repair their government and to solve their internal
problems. |
| No dictator accepts blame |
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| Ali Abdullah Saleh ( علي عبدالله صالح) President of Yemen from 1990 - 2012 |
The
governmental systems within Yemen, Egypt, and Libya foster corruption. These
Arab countries are ruled by people, considered to be dictators, who have almost
absolute power over their country. Essentially meaning they can do whatever
they want since they have power over everyone and everything. They have the
power to fix and create problems, but through greed they create problems for
the masses and please only the few they have made connections with. In Yemen’s
dictatorship many of their “...varied problems, and potential solutions, lie at
the hands of the regime.” (Davies) This is true for Egypt and Libya as well,
where the power is in the hands of few and while the suffering affects the
lives of many. This imbalance of power causes the needs and concerns of the
people to fall on deaf ears. Sadly the dictator could easily promote the needs
of the common good and solve problems, but decide not to due to crooked morals.
The people where fed up this is and felt it was time for change.
These
dictatorship structured governments have a large economic component to them in
areas they are funded by oil. The Middle East is a very oil rich area. This is
results in economies that are based almost entirely on oil. In the past and present
the export of oil has played a huge role in Libya’s economy. In fact “Roughly
79% of Libya’s export revenue comes from crude oil exports...” (EIA) This large
dependence on oil gives the dictator economic power as it allows them control
their main source of revenue. Since the dictators have some control over the
economy they will always have funding to support what they want to do. With
this funding they can more easily act on their selfish ideals and wants, even
if they aren’t what the general population wants. The people want their needs
fulfilled, not the greedy needs of their dictator. Unfortunately the government
isn’t there to represent the people like it should.
Widespread
poverty is a product of rotten government and is an apparent problem in the
Arab world. The mass amounts of poverty in Libya, Egypt, and Yemen leave the
people desperate and hopeful for government action to help them. The poverty in
Egypt is to the point where “40 percent of Egyptians [are] living below the
poverty line...” (Gelvin 80). This poverty and desperation for help by the
citizens helped to the keep the dictator in power. The people were promised
help and given some subsidies. The people in these countries were hopeful and
waited for a long time. The two-faced government was not helping them as much
as they needed. The lack of aid helped to push them to protest and revolt to
achieve better economic conditions. They realized that if their government was
not going to help they were going to have to take matters into their own hands.
The
integrity of the school system in these areas are tainted and full of
dishonesty. In places such as Egypt it is so bad that if teachers “supervised
without allowing cheating” then they were described by students as “bothersome.”
(Noueilhed, Warren 13). The parents and teachers in Egyptian schools actually
encouraged cheating.
These warped school systems result in a less educated
population and people having degrees that they shouldn’t. In Libya there is
rampant corruption in schools and it is evident in the “quality of students
that graduate from educational institutions” (CENTAL) that they are not as
educated as they should be. This results in an overall weaker workforce. The
people realize the danger in this as it undermines development, and they
protest to get more funding for schools to get qualified teachers along with
enforceable standards.
 |
| School in Egypt |
 |
| Even graduates suffer greatly |
There
is also rampant dishonesty within the workforce which causes more corruption at
the level of the general public. This dishonesty is caused by the extreme
poverty that the citizens face every day where they may not make enough to
survive. The salaries are low and jobs are scarce which is why “...bribery is
effectively written into the economic system” (Gelvin 40). This desperate need
of money makes the laws negligible if you have money. This gives even more
power to the dictator because they have a lot of money that they could share.
The people follow him in hopes of getting some money to survive. After waiting
and receiving nothing the peopled were fed up. This pent up anger contributed
to the Arab Spring movements.
 |
| In Libya |
The
emotion of fear has a powerful grip on person’s life that dictators use in
order to gain the support of their followers. They use fear to dissuade people
from revolting. Throughout history it hasn’t been an effective long lasting
tactic, as the people realize that change is needed because there is no
enjoyment in living in fear. In Libya, Muammar Gaddifi had his forces patrol
the streets of Tripoli “...firing automatic weapons, forcing residents inside
and trying to lock down the capital...” (Chrisafis, Black) Muammar used the
fear tactic to ensure his grip over the people and force them to follow him or
be killed. For a government to have to resort to such tactics means that the
normal ways of functioning are no longer effective. This disregard for human
rights is evidence of corruption. This tactic worked in controlling the
citizens, but once they gained courage they protested and revolted. People can
only take so much until they would rather risk death than to live in fear.
The
presence of terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda cause oppression of the people in
Arab countries such as Yemen. Al Qaeda is a terrorist group that tries to
implement their laws and government into Muslim nations. They hinder government
progress and oppress the people into their beliefs.
In Yemen, in 2011, there was an insurgency of
Al Qaeda members who were promoting their ideals and used violence to do so. To
defeat the insurgency it required “...regular Yemeni troops, not just elite
counter-terrorism units. These regular troops do not have advanced training,
nor are they well equipped.” (Zimmerman) meaning that the Al Qaeda was such a
powerful and a large threat in Yemen that they were desperate enough to use
unspecialized troops. If an insurgency requires such a mass amount of troops,
it is evident that the current government is not working. The people of Yemen
need a government to protect them. The people of Yemen revolted because they
need a government that can protect and serve them in manner they deserve.
 |
| Al Qaeda |
 |
| In Libya |
 |
| Casings found at a Yemen protest |
The
corruption problems that are implanted into the societies of Libya, Egypt, and
Yemen are significant ones. They hinder the economic, social growth of the
country, and wellbeing of the country. The problems have been apparent for
centuries, but have been blatant leading up the Arab Spring movements. The
corruption shows itself in all parts of the society. We see it in the schools,
in society, and most importantly the government. It is a combination of all of
these corrupt aspects of life that made the people realize that they needed to
engage in the Arab Spring movements during 2011 to try and save their country.
 |
| Egypt fighting back |
Works Cited
Chrisafis,
Angelique, and Ian Black. "Libya: Gaddafi Using Scare Tactics to Lock down
Capital." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 24 Feb. 2011. Web.
11 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/23/libya-witnesses-intimidation-gaddafi-forces>.
"Corruption
in Schools Undermines Liberia’s Development." Corruption in Schools
Undermines Liberia's Development. CENTAL, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.cental.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72:corruption-in-schools-undermines-liberias-development&catid=35:opinion&Itemid=75>.
Davies,
Rhordri. "In Yemen, Government Corruption Is Enemy No. 1." GlobalPost.
GlobalPost, 20 Oct. 2010. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/middle-east/101006/yemen-government-corruption>.
Gelvin,
James L. The Arab Uprisings What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford: Oxford
UP, USA, 2012. Print.
MacAskill,
Ewen. "Barack Obama Tells Gaddafi: Libya Violence Must Stop." The
Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/24/obama-gaddafi-libya-violence-speech>.
Noueilhed,
Lin, and Alex Warren. The Battle for the Arab Spring: Revolution 2.0.
New Haven and London: Yale UP, 2012. Print.
"U.S.
Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and
Analysis." Libya. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 10
Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=ly>.
Zimmerman,
Katherine. "Iran Tracker." Insurgency in Yemen: The New Challenge
to American Counter-Terrorism Strategy. AEI Critical Threats Project, 19
Mar. 2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. <http://www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/insurgency-yemen-american-counter-terrorism-strategy-march-19-2012>.
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