Reply #13: I like their set of complaints. [View All]

The first boils down to the accusation that those they deposed and those they think hurt them haven't been found guilty.

One can imagine what'll happen if any of the police, it turns out, are found to have really good alibis and aren't found guilty. The humiliation of not having somebody pay--even if it's the wrong person--will be intense. That the crowd was disobeyed will also be seen as making the military even more uppity.

It'll be the same with Mubarak. The assumption was that Egypt would be wealthy without him and his cronies, and by arresting/trying/sentencing them all the money will be returned and Egypt will be wealthy. When it turns out that Egypt is just poor, and all the money taken by Mubarak et crew would still leave Egypt poor were it returned, there'll be widespread dissatisfaction. The humiliation of being poor for some reason other than being wronged. Ouch.

Esp. when democracy doesn't produce instant wealth, in a great confusing of economics and political systems.

Then there's the social problems. Most are caused by a lot of poverty (and the effects that poverty has), sectarian problems, lack of economic growth and a huge population increase. Politics aren't going to help those, at least not democracy. Now, something like Stalinism, where all the rich are beaten down and fairly impoverished (and punished, esp. if they inherited their wealth and are especially guilty in some weird way), generally helps for a while--the poor at least don't feel as envious and humiliated.