Youth Identity in North Africa

                In  Louise Fawcett’s International Relations of the Middle East ne brings up Libya and Col Gaddafi twice   in his third chapter.  In one instance he draws attention to the problem of youthening population with ageing leadership as well as handpicked succession. This book published in 2009 brings up Egypt’s Mubarak, Col Gaddafi, Syria, Morocco, and Jordan.  In 2009, when this work was published Fawcett couldn’t have known what would take place two years later, but it is interesting to look at this issue. It is necessary to delve deeper into how this young population in North Africa came to the conclusion that their leaders were no longer sufficient. All three of these North African countries went through some level of change due to the Arab Spring.  Morocco now has a new constitution with the Islamic party of peace and development leading the way.  While Egypt and Libya are both more obvious with their changes, the complete ousting of their leaders and old forms of government.   
               These changes, protests and demonstrations were organized and attend by large numbers of citizens, many of them young men and women. The conversations about these event s have taken place on social networking sites and throughout the internet; an area were the younger generation flourishes. Is this “Arab Spring” really that? Or is this a North African Youth Revolt? In Tunisia this whole event kicked off with a young man who felt constrained by the economic system. These unemployment problems effect the young  stronger than any age demographic. Were these ageing dictators, out of touch with their citizens.   It is obvious that these movements are much more complex than teenage angst, but this idea of the young citizens versus the old leaders does raise some identity questions that should be developed further. The problems the young men and women of north Africa have are similar to the economic issues of the young men and women all around the world (Spain being one of the best examples).  Is the present system filled with young angry men?