Although it took place over only 18 days, the 2011 Egyptian Revolution was a significant
socio-political event in modern Middle East history. As a part of an upsurge of protest
movements across the region, the Egyptian revolution followed Tunisia’s successful
revolution. These protests incited many questions and intersectional studies that have
looked at economic, social, and political factors that came into existence leading to the
“Arab Spring.” Focusing on Egypt as a case study, this thesis examines the economic
motives of the revolution that grew out of those factors. Specifically, it focuses on the
concepts of poverty, unequal income distribution, and youth unemployment as major
reasons of the protesters’ unrest. Change in the political system has had a clear impact on
the country’s foreign relations and stability in Middle East. Therefore, understanding the
role of economic motives in the revolution is vital to understanding Egyptian foreign
relations and their influence on stability. Moreover, studying the role of those economic
conditions in Egypt could be helpful for any other country concerning future policies
regarding uprisings and political instabilities. Thus, the results of this study could be used
to assess an alternate and more sustainable strategy aimed at maintaining and promoting
stability