Thomas Carothers, McKenzie Carrier
{
"authors": [
"Thomas Carothers"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center"
],
"collections": [
"Arab Awakening"
],
"englishNewsletterAll": "democracy",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "DCG",
"programs": [
"Democracy, Conflict, and Governance"
],
"projects": [
"Eurasia in Transition"
],
"regions": [
"Middle East",
"North Africa",
"Caucasus",
"Eastern Europe"
],
"topics": [
"Political Reform",
"Democracy"
]
}Source: Getty
What Does the Arab Spring Mean for Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus?
The Arab Spring has more in common with events in Sub-Saharan Africa in the 1990s than Central and Eastern Europe in 1989. The impact of events in the Middle East for states outside the region will depend on the legitimacy and adaptability of their regimes.
Source: CSIS

The implications of the Arab Spring for Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus will depend on the legitimacy and adaptability of political regimes in these regions as well as societal and demographic factors, Carothers concluded.
About the Author
Harvey V. Fineberg Chair for Democracy Studies; Director, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Thomas Carothers, director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, is a leading expert on comparative democratization and international support for democracy.
- When Do Mass Protests Topple Autocrats?Commentary
- The Trump Administration’s Tangled Talk About Democracy AbroadArticle
Thomas Carothers, McKenzie Carrier
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie China
- China’s Evolving Economic and Security Role in the Middle EastCommentary
The advantage that China has over other global powers, especially America, is that its foreign policy is closely aligned with those of many of the Middle Eastern countries.
Jin Liangxiang, Maha Yahya, Hesham Alghannam
- China-Europe Relations, Two Years After Russia Invaded UkraineCommentary
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a turning point in the EU-China relationship, and evolution of the China-Russia relationship will continue to impact EU-China relations.
Yifan Ding, Alice Ekman
- China’s Rising Influence in the Middle EastCommentary
Transactional relationships are stable but can be shallow.
- +1
Paul Haenle, Maha Yahya, Benjamin Ho, …
- The Many “One Chinas”: Multiple Approaches to Taiwan and ChinaArticle
Beijing says that over 180 countries accept its “one China principle” regarding Taiwan, but the reality is more complicated.
Chong Ja Ian
- China’s Zero COVID Policy Is a Double-Edged SwordCommentary
Beijing must choose between preserving its pandemic narrative or facing more unrest.
Paul Haenle