Government cut backs to get sound financial structure had same thing going on in Greece, and some in Spain & Portugal. It was taking away that started it their dance and that will continue in Europe and eventually the US until both get their financial house in order.

In Tunisia and particularly Egypt they have been educating the hell out of the population and Egypt had 7% growth rate. The problem is 60% ( could be off on % ) is under 30 and Mubarak has been in power for 30 years. Add corruption and authoritarian government, it was and explosion waiting to happen. The fact that the growth in the economy has been powered by a very low wage structure brought the middle class, students, public servants, Muslims, and Coptic Christians, into this thing.

Not to hi jack your thread but this thing will continue all over the world. I think freedom will grow in this world, may take a hundred years, but grow. Why? Government and its institutions ( of all kinds ) can not control the flow of information. Things like Twitter, Facebook, Cell phones, the Internet as a whole, are the tip of the iceberg and in the long term authoritarian both religious and sectarian are going to be in trouble. Kids in Africa living in huts get a very inexpensive lap tops ( courtesy of the USA I believe ) for education that connects to the web. You think 30 years down the road they will think a hut will do? I think we are witnessing the first steps where the true free flow of information will bring down dictators and authoritarian governments, even religious, one at a time but it will just take time.