The Global Middle Class & Global Power Politics

Few observations tweeted on June 2, 2009 regarding a favorite topic of mine: the slow and necessary emergence of a global middle class.

An empowered and well-informed Global Middle Class can help open up the decision-making processes within the power elites.

An empowered well-informed Global Middle Class can help check conflicts of interests between power elites through the democratic processes.

The continuing prevalence of violent conflicts today results in part from the unawareness of the Global Middle Class of its own existence. Continue reading “The Global Middle Class & Global Power Politics” →

Doing the Math!

The math of life deals more with cold logic than with complex calculations

Further to Hammam’s excellent argument below, I would like to point another problem with the math issue that gets often raised these days.

It goes beyond a doubt that when an America administration makes a mistake in calculations, whatever the reasons for that may be, more people get hurt around the world than when a regime like the Assads does. But looking at things from this perspective ignores an important fact, namely that American administrations are, in the final analysis, accountable to their people, while the same cannot be said of the Assads. Continue reading “Doing the Math!” →

In the Last Few Days…

Anti-regime demonstrations reportedly erupted last week among the Alawite inhabitants of the coastal city of Lattakia. Demonstrators were apparently frustrated with Bashar al-Assad’s style of leadership which, from the perspective of many Alawite, is allowing for the erosion of their power and control over the state, raising the specter of potential Sunni domination in the minds of many, with all the acts of vendetta that such a state of affairs is perceived to entail. For this reason, demonstrators reportedly hoisted pictures of Bashar’s uncle, the one and only Rifa’at Al-Assad, the champion of the bloody crackdowns of the early 1980s. Bashar’s brother-in-law and chief of security, the illustrious General, Assef Chawkat, is said to be taken charge of the crackdown. Scores have reportedly been arrested. Continue reading “In the Last Few Days…” →

How does it work?

How does the regime manage to get so many thousands of people to take part in its sham “popular” demonstrations of support to the President? Well, take the candle light vigil, for instance, in which a reported 50,000 students took part, though actual on the grounds estimate put the number at 20,000 only. All the authorities had to do in this case was to collect the ID of the students from different Syrian university all over the country, the IDs they have to sue in order to gain entrance to the exams hall, and voila. Continue reading “How does it work?” →