kerkko.fi

There is a popular assumption – especially in the west – that because Arab regimes tend to be autocratic and authoritarian, the state in Arab countries is also strong. In fact, most Arab governments are incapable of even collecting taxes effectively.

There is a paradox here, because Arab regimes have an almost insatiable urge to control. They legislate and regulate endlessly, they establish large armies and security forces, and employ vast bureaucracies – and yet their ability to exercise power and influence the behaviour of their citizens is far more limited than it looks.

Regime survival is the top priority, and state power is directed towards controlling dissent forcefully and effectively. This exercise of power is often mistaken for a sign of strength when in reality it is an acknowledgment of vulnerability. As the late Nazih Ayubi noted, "The Arab state is therefore often violent because it is weak."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/sep/09/arab-regimes-autocratic-nature-disguises-vulnerability/print