Running head: REGIME BREAKDOWN 1

Regime Breakdown
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Institution Affiliation
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The aspect of regime breakdown is measured by looking at the strength of the state. In this
case study we major on how the four states of Arab were able or not in attaining a complete
transition. We are also putting into focus the influence of opposition towards regime
breakdown topic. The case of Egypt is rhetoric in the fact that its unexplainable whether its
regime is a complete transition which was overturned by the soldiers or on the hand it’s a
transition that didn’t get completed. This is well depicted by the elections which were held in
the period of January 2012 where parliament was put in place by the Egyptians freely.
However, this didn’t last long as it was dissolved by Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court.
This was accelerated by the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi who was self-confident
of emerging victorious in that contest at the same time the Supreme Council of the Armed
Forces made a constitutional declaration in the period of June that same year being the
legislature and then later be fully elected executive in a democratic way. This form of
government comprising of an elected head of state and military being the legislature existed
up to August that same year proving Egypt had attained a regime which was democratically
constituted. However, this was reverted by Morsi who claimed the authority of legislature to
himself.
This is similar in Libya but in this case for different reasons. Its evident that the country has
held two elections for the legislative bodies democratically however governing of the
territory by those parliaments has not been attained. Libya has faced a lot of chaos from
revolutionary armed groups. The central state institutions of the nation have been weakened,
depicted by the militia groups that have gone out of the state control. Endless fights in the
city of Benghazi as well as its capital city Tripoli have put the country in turmoil. This poses
Libya as nation without a useable state thus posing greater risks in safeguarding human
rights, lack of law and orderliness or an effective governance. Libya therefore as much as
elections have been held by its political elites, what is the state of its democratic progress? In
this case what has Libya achieved if having an elected government as well as a functioning
state is a requirement for a completed transition?
For one to say a country has attained a complete transition, the two are necessary;
establishing an elected democratic regime and how the regime is persistent in overcoming
challenges which arise. Therefore, Tunisia and Egypt-controversially in a time attained a
complete transition. On the other hand, Yemen and Libya had an incomplete transition.
How does opposition contribute towards complete transition? Opposition in this chapter can
be presented as the founding elections body. This is in respect to the relative power that the
oppositionists have over the incumbents. Depending on how powerful the opposition is, it’s
able to force the incumbents to hold elections. Like in the case of Libya, the opposition was
strengthened by intervention from the international. Looking on the other cases, the
opposition’s strength is different is it emerges from the developmental factors. This is to say
that, opposition is strengthened by the state capacity in regard to competence as well as the
reach of the nations that oppositionists inherited from the ancient regimes. Conclusively, we
can say that the level of economic development as well as measures of nation effectiveness
could have driven these countries on the case study towards transition completion.
Regime breakdown in regard to this chapters, focusing on the four cases is due to the limits of
contingency and also choice as well as the position of pre-existing structures in shaping the
eventual dispositions of would-be democratic transitions. A variation in the levels of
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infrastructural power in these four states exist. This brings out a lack of firm cemented bonds
among the executives as well as the agents of chaos therefore leading to regime breakdown.
Historical legacies also play a major part in the state strength of a nation. It basically puts in
place the effects of colonial influence of the nations on study. Like the case of Yemen which
was divided. Urbanization plays a major role in measuring the strength of a state. Opposition
in way or another depending on how strong it is, it is capable of compelling the incumbent
towards holding of free and fair elections.