Abstract
This chapter examines the “economic” side of the political-economy equation. Tunisia’s post-revolution economy is facing some difficulties. The economy is not growing and developing as fast as people want and expect it to since the 2011 Jasmine Revolution. The economic hardships are straining people, especially the lower economic classes which mainly reside in the interior region. The outlying coastal areas are more upscale and cater most to the tourism industry. Endless grand resorts line the coast stretching across 1148 km. The south consists of mostly desert terrain and climate, and thus is less populated compared to the north, which enjoys a more temperate and accommodating climate. This is the backdrop to the analysis of Tunisia’s economic health. While Chap. 4 examined the political side of the political-economy interdependence equation, this chapter focuses on the economy side. Tunisia has desperately needed foreign direct investments (FDIs) and economic strengthening since the revolution. Bureaucratic obstacles tend to slow down economic progress, and terrorist attacks have strategically targeted the tourism industry. However, the Tunisian people have not given up. They continue to work hard to resuscitate the economy, despite the daunting challenges.
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Alvi, H. (2019). Tunisia’s Economic Health. In: The Political Economy and Islam of the Middle East. Political Economy of Islam. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17050-9_5
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