What do Arab Spring protesters want?

Answer 1

Arab Spring Protesters have a variety of demands which include, but are not limited to the following:

1) Democracy: Arabs want a hand in how their own governments create policy as opposed to the dictatorships in the Arab World that masquerade as republics when there are no elections. This is especially pertinent in countries like Syria or Bahrain where the unelected leadership represents the views of a minority religious group.

2) Economic Self-Sufficiency: Many Arabs see the current government s as having inadequately built up their economies both in terms of the governments' failure to create jobs and build internal infrastructure as well the governments' failure to make sure that grains like rice and corn remain affordable to the "average Dick and Jane Arab".

3) So-Called First Amendment Rights: Many Arabs, especially from unrepresented minorities (like Christians, Shiites*, Sunnis*, Bahai'i, and Zoroastrians) want the ability to openly pray to their Gods in their proper context and to do so on equal footing with the predominant religion (either Shiite or Sunni Islam). Arabs also want to have the freedom to criticize their leaders and to protest freely against them if need be.

4) Citizenship over Race/Religion: A major trend in the Arab World has gone unrecognized by the authorities prior to the Arab Spring. Most people in Arab countries belong to a certain ethnic, religious, and tribal group that the state identifies and discriminates between. Many protesters in the Arab Spring would prefer official recognition that all people who live within the borders of a country are citizens regardless of race or religion and should have equal rights and privileges.

5) Transparency: Arab Regimes are notoriously corrupt. Nepotism, racism, and many other non-meritocratic means are used to promote people into positions of power and wealth. Arab Spring Protesters want a government that is accountable to its people and that functions based on meritocracy.

Answer 2

From dictatorships or quasi dictatorships to democratic governments.