The protests that swept through the Middle East and North Africa over the past six months have shown us what people will do to have their voices heard. Starting with the desperate act of a simple fruit vendor in Tunisia, the unrest in the region has demonstrated that people are willing to fight—and die—for their economic, political, and civil freedom.

However, the sentiment that fueled the Arab Spring and led to mass demonstrations in over a dozen countries in the region is nothing new. It was the same desire for freedom that inspired Eastern Europeans to overthrow their Cold War leaders, South Africans to end the repressive apartheid regime, and countless colonies to emerge from imperial rule after the Second World War.

In the aftermath of these events, once the protests disperse and the fighting stops, what can we expect to see? Will the emergence of more political and economic rights lead to more stability and better governance? Will more transparent and legitimate institutions be able to provide the vital services necessary to meet the needs of the people? Will more open markets allow for greater economic growth and deeper development?

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