In “What has the revolution done for us?” there is a comparison of Tahrir Square before and after the revolution. Young activists expressed regret for how the revolution turned out and dwindling hope for economic revival. Mass unemployment for the youth is the most heated topic, with the majority of this group lacking skills for the available job market.
“Where are the youth of the Egyptian revolution?” gives an analysis for where the youth failed and succeeded. The author describes their original motivation as powerful but lacking in practical application. The focus on Mubarak’s overthrow was so narrow that there was not a plan for the next step. In addition, relying on the military has set a dangerous precedent for political action.
The success of the Egyptian youth in overthrowing the repressive Mubarak regime required much planning and commitment. However, the revolution inspired by the youth only began with the overthrow of Mubarak. The pathway to greater freedom and economic success is long and tumultuous. Although the youth was committed to the revolution in the beginning stages, they must recognize that their work has been made more difficult because of lack of planning about the second step. The Egyptian economy still struggles because the failing structure is still intact. Some of the members of the Egyptian youth confess that they may regret the revolution, simply because they feel like it has not changed anything. An analysis of the revolution shows that there was a lack of clear, focused reform goals for after the government overthrow. The youth let the corruptive system stay intact because they were unsure of how to remove it. The Egyptian youth is taking a radical point of view on globalization at this stage. Mubarak’s multilateral relations with the United States and Israel backfired when the revolution occurred. The diplomacy achieved by these nations was despised by the Egyptian population who felt as though they were abandoning their Arab culture. The Egyptian people rebelled against anything tied to Mubarak, thus reversing their views on diplomacy with western nations. They have now taken the point of view that growing their own economy alone is their priority. In the future, the Egyptian youth may be open to a more globalized market and higher influence of multi-national corporations. However, it seems that at this point, they are struggling to reach the threshold of survival. Thus, an isolationist point of view is inevitable. Without a strong national government with popular support, it will be difficult for Egypt to resume international relations and foreign investments.
