The economic roots of the Arab Spring
The McKinsey on Society website includes a number of compelling videos. For students researching and debating U.S./Middle East policy, the video below featuring Hernando de Soto on the economic roots of Arab Spring is a valuable resource.
Earlier posts discuss Hernando de Sotos research on problems with Middle East legal systems and the role of the informal economy.
The video below has this description on YouTube:
Published on Aug 24, 2012
The Arab Spring is usually seen as a backlash against repressive political regimes. Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto, best known for his advocacy for property rights in developing countries, has a different take. He says the causes were fundamentally economic. When the prevailing powers expropriated the livelihoods of entrepreneurs who lacked any legal standing, their dramatic protests sparked a revolution.
A search on the McKinsey on Society website brings up additional Hernando de Soto posts and videos.