Structural Response for Question on 10-9-12

The types of states in the MENA region vary from the relatively free Lebanon to the completely locked down situation in Bahrain. For example, protests are nominally legal in, say, Jordan, but are not in Saudi Arabia. Social movements generally require a few basic freedoms to be successful, such as the right to assemble, the right to free speech, the right to criticize the government, among others. Since many of the MENA countries do not have these essential freedoms, social movements have that much harder of a time forming, operating, and succeeding. However, if a social movement in a MENA country begins to take hold, I feel as though it can be one of the few avenues people in the MENA region have for democratic participation.