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ELITE Issue7: May.2019 Page | 4

The Momentum In Algeria Post-Truth and the

... Without Engine ... And
Challenges to Reality
No Brakes
Perception

Prof. Dr. Nassireddine Baki, Mohamed Abdallah Younes,

Assistant Professor of Law and Political Science Assistant Lecturer of Political Science
-University of Algiers 3

The term Post Truth has become popular in the impact are the shortest ones which contain direct and
past three years among the media as well as academic clear information that does not require effort to
circles. This seemed to occur after the rise of right- analyze and understand. In other words, something
The army intervened again, but this time in another like tweets have become one of the main aspects
Since 22 February Algeria has been known for its a popular form. The headline of the „Army magazine (AlJaish)‟ in wing parties and populist leaders in the United States
protests due to the stand of Abdelaziz Bouteflika for a fifth as well as a number of European states. These parties which shape individual‟s perception of the world.

term despite his wheelchair-bound illness and his hide from 5 In April 2019 was " The Army does Not Accept Any seemed to be following a trend, they simplified very This is also related to the influx of information which
media since 2013. The people considered his re-election as an Solution Against The Constitution ", that is, it stands complex issues and were apathetic when faced with has been circulating different parts of the world with

insult to this continental country and a sign for emasculating with the application of Article 102, despite the public evidence or facts. They also tended to emotionally unimaginable speed, faster than the speed of “the
the people and elites from any ability to offer alternatives. rejection and sees the best solution and the fastest is to manipulate their supporters as well as manipulate their movement of an echo in a closed room”.
The protests have dealt a fatal blow to a regime that has long fill the constitutional vacuum fearing any deviation from view on reality, in addition they would exploit the Consequently, there is very little time to analyze this
been betting on the security card and the threat of return to the peaceful path or any external intervention. This polarization and divisions in society to their own content and its correctness.
the bloody decade, supporting his arguments by the negative proposal from the military institution was not absorbed benefit.

consequences hitting the Arab revolutions, especially in by the masses especially that the character of "Kaid In this extremely turbulent world, the multiplicity
Syria, Yemen and Libya. Saleh" is not accepted and is considered as part of the Although human history has witnessed many of stories which are produced about one event, which
instances of conflict between the truth and falsehoods, are usually based on a mixture of detailed and untrue
Yet for the people of Algeria, taking the streets out and gang. This divergence of views may lead to several this time period specifically is witnessing a structural facts, contradictory information and statistics, which

protesting was a victory in itself and a break through the wall scenarios in the coming days, including: issue with individuals‟ relation to the truth. It has also are utilized in the implicit conflict of individuals
of fear that the authorities have imprisoned the people into. attempting to prove their own personal beliefs and the
- Holding presidential elections on the date set (4 July been acknowledged that this issue is related to
After a great popular pressure, Bouteflika changed his 2019) with a participation rate of not more than 20 individuals rejecting the credibility of science and ongoing conflict of shaping their own perception of
proposed to remain in power until a national
candidacy and percent due to the public rejection of the administration expert opinion while accepting superficial information the incident.
discussion was held that would bring everyone together supervising the electoral process. from informal sources. Individuals are also keener to According to the study of Soroush Vosoughi, Deb

without exclusion and establish a new constitution and lead in accept and become attached to their own personal Roy and Sinan Aral which was published in “Science”
the transitional period. That transition period would organize - (Or) suspending the Constitution, the resignation of opinions of reality regardless of its truthfulness. To add magazine in March 2018 under the title “The Spread

elections and ensure a smooth transfer of power. But this "Abdul Qadir Bin Saleh" and forming a State formed of on, individuals today have become part of the process of real and false news through the internet”, they
proposal was rejected by the street demanding that Bouteflika accepted personalities. This council will form an which creates the truth due to their participation in

must resign and apply Article 102 of the Constitution .This independent committee to oversee the elections. alternate forms of media which has granted them the concluded that false news has a bigger chance of
article refers to the assumption of power by the parliament power to affect the perceptions of others simply by spreading and gaining popularity compared to true

speaker after the removal of the President in cases of health - (Or) A coup from within the military establishment expressing their opinions and presenting them and accurate news. In addition, true news requires six
incapacity, resignation or death. against "Kaid Saleh", suspending the constitution and attractively. Expressing one‟s personal opinions is not times as much time as false news to reach the same

the formation of a military council leading the number of individuals. The study also concluded that
Bouteflika resigned on April 2, 2019, one day after a transitional phase until a handover of power to the next an issue within itself, yet it increases the complexity of using false news was a successful method used by

fiery statement from Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Kaid elected president. differentiating between what is true and what is an news outlet to attract viewers who were fascinated by
Saleh demanding respect for the will of the people through opinion. the distinctiveness of this information, resulting in

the application of Article 102, in a scene claimed to reflect Anyway, what characterized the protests in Algeria from these outlets gaining millions of viewers in record
the military siding with popular demands. But once again the any other Arab country that witnessed a popular “Post Truth” is a term used to explain the context time.

people went out to demonstrate demanding the removal of movement is that: in which facts have less of an effect on the audience,

“Al‟esaba (The gang) which was ruling the country and who are more persuaded through the use of pathos. Yet the political scientist remains as the first line of
issued decisions on behalf of the President since his affliction - It is a movement without initiators nor representatives. Therefore, you are faced with individuals who judge defense to face these issues which increase the

with a stroke in 2013. This gang was manifested in the - It is a peaceful and civilized movement that puzzled information and its truthfulness based on their own challenges of studying reality and following up with
government, its head, "Ahmed Ouyahia", the presidential the world, Although Algerians are known for they emotions. This leads to the disappearance of the truth current events and their development. As a result,

advisers who were Bouteflika‟s two brothers, "Said" and moody temperament. underneath personal biases and fabrications. Although there must be strict standards and processes when
"Nasser" and a group of businessmen that benefited from - It is a movement that gives and its demands ceiling the gap between perception and the truth has always dealing with sources of information and ensuring its

Bouteflika's reign. The protests also targeted the parliament rises every week. been present in individuals‟ relation to reality, it has credibility while ensuring that one does not drift in the
speaker "Abdul Qadir bin Saleh” who took over the been widening recently to unprecedented measures as a path of popular currents of information or follow the

presidency after Bouteflika and had been the speaker of the - It is a movement that seems to have no limits and result of denying the existence of the truth and information which is most common among social
parliament for more than 17 years. .Saleh was also the right seeks to suspend the constitution, calling for a fight pretending that there are multiple truths in society to media platforms. Finally, it is of outmost importance

hand of President Bouteflika and his close friend. against corruption by exposing its beneficiaries. appease the masses. to ensure that one stands in the face of misleading

“Yetnahaw Vaa‟ عاڤ واحنتي” This was the slogan raised by the - It is a movement that mobilizes demands through Within this context, social media has imposed a information while correcting false evidence and
protesters, which means that the regime must completely social media. new reality, where the messages which have the most untrue perceptions of reality.

leave. The popular solid commitment to such a demand opens Translated by:Yassmine Gamal Hussein
wide constitutional debates. It is difficult to satisfy demands What characterized the movement of Algeria since its

escalating weekly. Article 102 of the constitution, which inception is its peacefulness and civility. It is noted that
citizens came out to implement, now has been transcended in despite the crisis situation, it did obstruct social life,

a call for suspending the constitution because it is a neither the institutions of the state nor the interests of
constitution tailored to serve the survival of the regime in the citizens were disrupted and the movement did not In Economics, Growth
power .Also, giving parliament speaker the leadership of the witness clashes with the police. On the contrary, It is

transition phase was seen as an attempt to reproduce the called an Arab Spring because it has so far met all the
system. Rates Alone are not
spring criteria.

Enough

Whatever Noha Magdy,
Economics Teaching Assistant, FEPS

Happened to Dr.

It is unequivocally difficult for most Egyptians to forget point were convinced that the main obstacle facing the
Galal Amin ?
about the performance of the economy during former President Egyptian economy was the low growth rates and that
achieving significant improvement in this regard would help
Mubarak‟s era. Government officials spared no effort to
Nourhan Elmenyawy, emphasize the developments achieved by Egypt‟ resolve unemployment and unequal income distribution. This

Third Level Political Science Student macroeconomic indicators on all media fronts , especially when was totally and practically wrong and actually got refuted as
years have passed and more importantly in the recently
it comes to what they considered as a miracle in attracting

The book "Whatever happened to culture in Egypt" evidence; it will be considered as opinionated not as a scientific unprecedented rates of foreign direct investments. published economic studies by renowned economists
mainly talks about the changing culture of Egyptians since generalization about the whole phenomena. including distinguished Professor Joseph Stiglitz who

Nasser Regime and the decline of language, Education, the Is it possible to generalize that Arabic has declined due to According to the World Bank‟s estimates, FDIs flows recorded asserted on the fact that GDP is not enough to account for the
effects of immigration to gulf countries, the westernization a change in the way of writing of poets and writers? Of course, 9.7% of GDP in 2006 and 8.9% in 2007. Such rates are well-being of citizens in any country.

in society and other factors which affected our culture. the change in the way of writing is one among the fundamental considered the highest in the history of the Egyptian economy, The reason behind illustrating the highlights of this era is
in addition, they were accompanied by high growth rates that

When you read this book; you will feel depressed, sad and reasons for decline, but to declare general statements from such reached about 7% in the above mentioned years. drawing lessons for the future, since it is the main purpose of
studies in Economic History. In this context, it is worth
believe that there is no hope for any improvement to the a personal observation is considered totally wrong. And one of The main message of the government, whose prime minister at mentioning that the Egyptian economy has shown signs of

Egyptian Society and this is what you will also notice in his his fundamental reasons for the decline of culture or that time was Dr Ahmad Nazif, was mainly concerned with the remarkable improvement with regard to reducing budget
another book "Whatever happened to the Egyptians",as his backwardness of the Egyptians in general is due to: the high growth rates, the increase in imports, foreign reserves and deficit, the comeback of tourists and most importantly the

way of writing didn‟t change in both books in expressing negative role of the middle class. Why Education declined? deposits at the banking sector. He hardly discussed the exceptional growth rates recently achieved, which is
sadness and nostalgia for the old days before 1952 when Because of the middle class that affected the quality of performance of poverty and development related indicators. considered to be the second highest rates in the MENA

Egyptians elites were so civilized and intellectual. education services when they become educated; why do we region according to the World Bank‟s reports in April this
Nobody can deny that Professor. Dr. Galal Amin‟s emulate the west not preserving our identity? Because of the This era of Egypt‟s economic history is a true manifestation year. Such rates strengthen confidence in the performance of
of the misconception between growth and development.
perspective is always elitist; he perceives issues such as openness between Middle class and the western world; why Achieving high growth rates – does not guarantee by any means the economy. However, growth rates alone are not enough.
Cinema, Religion, Education and other; with a Simplistic there is corruption? Because: Immigration of middle class to – achieving real economic development in the fields of health We badly need the main focus of the Economic discourse
view as if he was telling a story not describing the gulf countries gave opportunities for any person to be rich not to be highly concerned with poverty and development related
phenomena in a scientific way based on multiple evidence. through any social improvement. As if higher classes are angels and education. Moreover, these recorded growth rates are not issues rather than growth. Not to mention, the Egyptian
necessarily inclusive and its benefits don‟t inevitably flow
For Example: When he wrote in his book "Whatever who never commit mistakes but are the reformists; or as if the government managed to execute different initiatives
happened to Culture in Egypt" about the deterioration of social mobility is considered to be a problem that shouldn‟t evenly to different social classes. In fact, these high rates of including “HayahKareema” and “Takaful we Karama” in
growth and investment did not go along with achieving
Arabic Language in Egyptian Society; he analyzed it from have occurred in the first place. order to provide a safety net for vulnerable income groups.
his own perspective; he reached that there is deterioration remarkable improvement with regard to eliminating poverty. However, we need further efforts and campaigns. In addition,
Official statistics reported by CAPMAS pointed to minor
only by telling his own social experience towards the What made me confused is the perception of the writer towards what we really need to study is the degree to which such
Arabic Language which is neither acceptable nor scientific the word "change" which for him always echoes negative reductions in the percentage of population living on less than growth rates are sustainable and how they could be more
2$ a day, from 42.8% in 2004 to 42% in 2008. Moreover,
at all. meanings; change means always a decline for the Egyptians. Egypt‟s was ranked as the 123 country out of 182 countries inclusive. It does not really matter how high the numbers
rd
When there is someone who is representing the political This makes one ask a question: Does the writer believe that we when it comes to the Human development index in 2007. achieved are, but what really matters is the significance of
elite explains that there is a decline in the Arabic language have declined? Or he just believe wholeheartedly in the status When Dr Galal Amin documented this era of Egypt‟s economic such numbers, how they were achieved and how their fruits
or any phenomena by telling stories from his life as quo as a way for prosperity? history, he referred to the fact that government officials at that could accrue to the typical Egyptian citizens on the micro
level.

ELITE Issue7: May .2019 Page | 4