--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy or breakdown in Syria would…" description: "\"Democracy or breakdown in Syria would change the whole Middle East overnight.\" — Paul Krugman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/paul-krugman-2255_arab-spring_democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-ch_2535479.png" --- # Democracy or breakdown in Syria would change the whole… ![“Democracy or breakdown in Syria would change the whole Middle East overnight.” quote by Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/paul-krugman-2255_arab-spring_democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-ch_2535479.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/paul-krugman-2255_arab-spring_democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-ch_2535479.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/paul-krugman-2255_arab-spring_democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-ch_2535479.png) > “Democracy or breakdown in Syria would change the whole Middle East overnight.” [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that a Syrian democratic collapse would trigger rapid regional upheaval. **In simple terms:** Syria's fall could reshape the Middle East. Key Takeaway Prevent democratic breakdown. Themes politics stability Middle East Mood analytical serious Type political informative When to use this quote - foreign policy - humanitarian aid - media analysis Key Concepts regime change regional security Questions to Reflect On - What measures can stabilize Syria? - How would neighboring countries respond? A Different Perspective Predicting outcomes is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arab spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arab-spring/) [Breakdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakdown/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Middle east](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-east/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Syria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syria/) ## Related quotes > [So my judgment is that Syria will move; Syria will change, as it embraces a legitimate relationship with the United States and the West…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/so-my-judgment-is-that-syria-will-move-syria-will-change-as-it/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I can't think of a single example of two mature democracies going to war with each other in the 20th century. It's where there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/i-can-t-think-of-a-single-example-of-two-mature-democracies-going-to/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [But for us, in Syria, we have principles. We'll do anything to prevent the region from another crazy war. It's not only Syria. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/but-for-us-in-syria-we-have-principles-we-ll-do-anything-to-prevent/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Syria is a civil war. Syria began as a popular uprising, just like the other experiences in the Arab Spring, with a repressive government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/syria-is-a-civil-war-syria-began-as-a-popular-uprising-just-like-the/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [Everyone knew that Saleh and the Houthis were a marriage of convenience. He was a dictator; the Houthis are ideologues who want to impose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/everyone-knew-that-saleh-and-the-houthis-were-a-marriage-of/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [I think Martin Luther King would always keep track of collective insurgencies among poor and working people. He was concerned about the treatment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-think-martin-luther-king-would-always-keep-track-of-collective/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [I don't think the Arab Spring had much to do with energy. I think it was just the opposite, in fact. I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-don-t-think-the-arab-spring-had-much-to-do-with-energy-i-think-it/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [One of the themes of 'The Longest War,' my book, which came out before the Arab spring happened, was how al-Qaida and bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/one-of-the-themes-of-the-longest-war-my-book-which-came-out-before/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [There is always the risk that a conflagration in the Middle East becomes larger and more dangerous. In this scenario, we discover that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/there-is-always-the-risk-that-a-conflagration-in-the-middle-east/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [“Our daily routines influence the lives of people and animals halfway across the world, and some personal gestures can unexpectedly set the entire world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/our-daily-routines-influence-the-lives-of-people-and-animals-halfway/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [The first question that I ask : do I have public support or not. That is the first question that I asked as President.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-first-question-that-i-ask-do-i-have-public-support-or-not-that-is/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [We are living in a world in which developments are harder to predict and one that has become more uncertain. In such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-stoltenberg/we-are-living-in-a-world-in-which-developments-are-harder-to-predict/) [Jens Stoltenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-stoltenberg/) > [Some socialist movements in Egypt, Tunisia and Bahrain, for instance, were genuine. I was making films about the so-called Arab Spring, and I'm well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/some-socialist-movements-in-egypt-tunisia-and-bahrain-for-instance/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [As you know with the Arab Spring, there were no dividends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/najib-razak/as-you-know-with-the-arab-spring-there-were-no-dividends/) [Najib Razak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/najib-razak/) > [None of us is certain about the outcome of the Arab Spring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/none-of-us-is-certain-about-the-outcome-of-the-arab-spring/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) ## More by Paul Krugman > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Surely I'm not the only person to ask the obvious question: How different, really, is Mr. Madoff's tale from the story of the investment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/surely-i-m-not-the-only-person-to-ask-the-obvious-question-how/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [“The rich are different from you and me: they have more influence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-rich-are-different-from-you-and-me-they-have-more-influence/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [“The Internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s….ten years from now, the phrase “information economy” will sound silly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-internet-s-impact-on-the-economy-has-been-no-greater-than-the-fax/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Not all private equity people are evil. Only some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/not-all-private-equity-people-are-evil-only-some/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [You really have to go searching desperately to find any contemporary examples of good, old-fashioned runaway inflation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/you-really-have-to-go-searching-desperately-to-find-any-contemporary/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [However, the fact that an economist offers a theoretical analysis does not and should not automatically command respect. What is needed is some assurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/however-the-fact-that-an-economist-offers-a-theoretical-analysis-does/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Politics determines who has the power, not who has the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/politics-determines-who-has-the-power-not-who-has-the-truth/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The key reason executives are paid so much now is that they appoint the members of the corporate board that determines their compensation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-key-reason-executives-are-paid-so-much-now-is-that-they-appoint/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [I've always believed in expansionary monetary policy and if necessary fiscal policy when the economy is depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/i-ve-always-believed-in-expansionary-monetary-policy-and-if-necessary/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [...academic credentials are neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for having your ideas taken seriously. If a famous professor repeatedly says stupid things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/academic-credentials-are-neither-a-necessary-nor-a-sufficient/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [It’s not about the budget; it’s about the power...So will the attack on unions succeed? I don’t know. But anyone who cares about retaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/it-s-not-about-the-budget-it-s-about-the-power-so-will-the-attack-on/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [When stock prices are rising, it's called ''momentum investing''; when they are falling, it's called ''panic.''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/when-stock-prices-are-rising-it-s-called-momentum-investing-when-they/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [I don't want a job in the administration; I think I'm more effective carping from the sidelines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/i-don-t-want-a-job-in-the-administration-i-think-i-m-more-effective/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Under the gold standard America had no major financial panics other than in 1873, 1884, 1890, 1893, 1907, 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/under-the-gold-standard-america-had-no-major-financial-panics-other/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) [Explore all 175 Paul Krugman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) ## More Arab spring quotes > [None of us is certain about the outcome of the Arab Spring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/none-of-us-is-certain-about-the-outcome-of-the-arab-spring/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [As you know with the Arab Spring, there were no dividends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/najib-razak/as-you-know-with-the-arab-spring-there-were-no-dividends/) [Najib Razak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/najib-razak/) > [Some socialist movements in Egypt, Tunisia and Bahrain, for instance, were genuine. I was making films about the so-called Arab Spring, and I'm well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/some-socialist-movements-in-egypt-tunisia-and-bahrain-for-instance/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [We are living in a world in which developments are harder to predict and one that has become more uncertain. In such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-stoltenberg/we-are-living-in-a-world-in-which-developments-are-harder-to-predict/) [Jens Stoltenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-stoltenberg/) > [The first question that I ask : do I have public support or not. That is the first question that I asked as President.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-first-question-that-i-ask-do-i-have-public-support-or-not-that-is/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [“Our daily routines influence the lives of people and animals halfway across the world, and some personal gestures can unexpectedly set the entire world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/our-daily-routines-influence-the-lives-of-people-and-animals-halfway/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [There is always the risk that a conflagration in the Middle East becomes larger and more dangerous. In this scenario, we discover that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/there-is-always-the-risk-that-a-conflagration-in-the-middle-east/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [One of the themes of 'The Longest War,' my book, which came out before the Arab spring happened, was how al-Qaida and bin Laden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/one-of-the-themes-of-the-longest-war-my-book-which-came-out-before/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [I don't think the Arab Spring had much to do with energy. I think it was just the opposite, in fact. I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-don-t-think-the-arab-spring-had-much-to-do-with-energy-i-think-it/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [I think Martin Luther King would always keep track of collective insurgencies among poor and working people. He was concerned about the treatment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-think-martin-luther-king-would-always-keep-track-of-collective/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Everyone knew that Saleh and the Houthis were a marriage of convenience. He was a dictator; the Houthis are ideologues who want to impose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/everyone-knew-that-saleh-and-the-houthis-were-a-marriage-of/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [The Arab Spring is a true phenomenon. Embrace Arab Spring; embrace the aspiration for freedom of the people of Egypt, Syria, and Yemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/the-arab-spring-is-a-true-phenomenon-embrace-arab-spring-embrace-the/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [The death of Yemeni strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh shows that Saudi Arabia is paying for its betrayal of the Arab spring in Yemen in 2011.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/the-death-of-yemeni-strongman-ali-abdullah-saleh-shows-that-saudi/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [I believe democracy will succeed in Tunisia, but I also believe that it will succeed in the other Arab Spring countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashid-al-ghannushi/i-believe-democracy-will-succeed-in-tunisia-but-i-also-believe-that/) [Rashid al-Ghannushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashid-al-ghannushi/) > [“The Arab Spring has been a dismal failure. All indications are that what comes next will be significantly worse than what existed before, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-bradley/the-arab-spring-has-been-a-dismal-failure-all-indications-are-that/) [John R. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-bradley/) [Browse all 108 Arab spring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arab-spring/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Democracy or breakdown in Syria would change the whole Middle East overnight.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Krugman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-change-the-whole-middle-east/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arab spring" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-change-the-whole-middle-east/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/paul-krugman-2255_arab-spring_democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-ch_2535479.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/paul-krugman-2255_arab-spring_democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-ch_2535479.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/paul-krugman-2255_arab-spring_democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-ch_2535479.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Democracy or breakdown in Syria would change the whole Middle East overnight.” — Paul Krugman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Krugman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Democracy or breakdown in Syria would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-change-the-whole-middle-east/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/democracy-or-breakdown-in-syria-would-change-the-whole-middle-east/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```