ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL DRIVERS OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN POST2003 IRAQ

The social movements in Iraq following 2003 were driven by a complex interplay of economic, social, and cultural factors rooted in the country’s post-war challenges. Economically, the reliance on a rentier, oil-dependent economy (95% of revenue) exacerbated structural weaknesses, leading to high unemployment (39% overall, 57% among youth), rampant corruption, and a lack of diversification into productive sectors like industry and agriculture. The legacy of wars, sanctions, and political sectarianism further dismantled the middle class, destroyed infrastructure, and entrenched social inequalities, with wealth concentrated among a new elite tied to political powers. Socially, the rise of sectarian and ethnic divisions, fueled by the political quota system, fragmented national identity, displaced millions, and marginalized communities like Christians, Yazidis, and Mandaeans. Culturally, the erosion of civil society, coupled with widespread poverty, illiteracy, and restricted freedoms, deepened public discontent. Issues such as corruption, terrorism (e.g., ISIS’s 2014 occupation of Mosul), internal displacement, gender inequality, and curtailed civil liberties further intensified social unrest. These factors collectively fostered a demand for systemic change, highlighting the need for a democratic, inclusive state based on citizenship, justice, and equitable resource distribution to address Iraq’s multifaceted crises.