Why There’s No Turning Back in the Middle East

Revolutionary thought emerged in desperate populations throughout history, often fading away after brutal crackdowns. But youthful populations and access to instant communication technologies – will keep revolutionary ideas thriving in the modern Middle East, argues Fareed Zakaria for Time magazine. About 60 percent of the region's population is under the age 30, facing limited opportunities, he points out, and yet “increasingly aware, informed and connected” about the potential of modern life and citizenship. Ruthless governments may try and cut internet connections, but that risks the isolation that keeps economies like North Korea’s in ruins. North Koreans have never known the fast banter of ideas over the internet, and young Middle Easterners won’t let go of such freedoms without a fight. Zakaria concludes that youthful revolutionaries’ commitment won’t fade because of the “modernizing imperative – societies need to embrace more openness to make progress.” – YaleGlobal