American factor in «The Arab spring» of Maghreb countries: illusions and realities

Iryna Zubarenko, PhD in History, Associate Professor, Odesa National I. I. Mechnikov University, Ukraine

Abstract

This paper intends analyze of the American influence on the revolutions in the Maghreb countries. To illustrate the American response to these events we cited declarations of the prominent political actors and researchers. At the same time, the author draws attention to the domestic issues that excited popular discontent and resulted in mostly negative repercussions.

The key events of the “Arab Spring” in the Maghreb countries, so to say, revolutions in Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Libya are examined. We also revealed social, political and economic consequences of these events, in particular of the rise to power of the pro-islamic parties, the “Islamization’ of the social and political life which has begun after the overthrow of the authoritative governments. We also espouse the view of the internationally known analysts that revolutions in the Maghreb countries as well as the overthrow of the authoritative governments had an economic motive. Here we should mention clashes in financial relations with European countries and the USA, that of the Tunisian government’s effort to establish a very own, Islamic investment bank what conflicted with Western financial and economic interests. Likewise, Europe and the USA were discontent with the plans of Libya as one of the biggest oil exporter, to switch from the dollar and euro to national currency, golden dinar, in petroleum accounting.

The ambiguous consequences of the “Arab spring” in the Maghreb countries are analyzed. In case of Morocco, the “Arab spring” had mostly positive consequences as the constitutional reforms and the cancellation of the state of emergence. However, in case of Libya, the revolution resulted in a civil war, and now the country is still very far from a political stability.

Keywords
 the USA, the Arab Spring, revolution, politics

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DOI http://doi.org/10.17721/2521-1706.2016.02.111-117