Revolution 2

The revolutions sweeping the Middle East in 2011 were unlike any that the world had ever seen.  Brutal regimes that had been in power for many decades were suddenly swarmed by unstoppable mobs of freedom seekers.  Now, one of the key figures behind the Egyptian uprising tells the inside, riveting story of what happened, and presents lessons for all of us on how to unleash the power of crowds.

Wael Ghonim was a little-known, 30-year-old Google executive in the fall of 2010, when he anonymously launched a Facebook page to protest the death of one Egyptian man at the hands of security forces.  The page's followers expanded quickly and moved from online protests to non-confrontational public gatherings. Then, on January 14, 2011, they made history when they announced a revolution pre-scheduled for the 25th.  Over 50,000 friends clamored to join.  On the 25th of January, as the revolution began in earnest, Ghonim was captured and held for eleven days of brutal interrogation—and when he emerged and gave a speech on national television, the protests grew even more intense.  Four days later, Mubarak was gone.

The lessons he draws will inspire each of us: Forget the past.  Don't plan ahead.  Let the crowd make its own decisions.  Welcome to Revolution 2.0.