Tunisia: The Colonized Road to a Democratic Identity

The death of one Tunisian man by self-immolation in 2010 created uprisings in 18 other Arab countries in what is known as the 2011 Arab Spring. As a result, Tunisia managed to overthrow its long-standing autocratic government and establish a democracy; it is the only nation who has managed to maintain those changes since 2011. As the first point of protest and the only success story, what makes Tunisia different from the other 18 nations? While there has been research on why Tunisia has succeeded, there is little on how Tunisia’s colonial history under France for 75 years might have affected Tunisia’s uprising, protests, democratization, and continued success. This paper cannot answer all of this effectively, but it does indicate some of the lasting effects of French colonization that have irrevocably shaped Tunisia. Through linguistics and education, economic reform and political evolution, the French caused a progression of society in Tunisia that facilitated its success as a democracy in the 21st century