Revolutions/Protests in Tunisia ... Why now ?

[WhatsAnEnigma]

You're asking for what spurred the revolution in Tunisia? I'm not sure if this is the only reason, but the prevalent one is the inflation of food around the world is pushing people to the edge. In the case of the man in Tunisia, he was trying to make a living by selling food from a cart. The cops shut him down for not having a license for a lack of a better term (it was a municipal violation of some sort), and under the pressures of no way to make money and meet ends, he killed himself. The sympathy and like conditions felt by everyone else must have caused the situation to hit critical mass. Also, having the technology (facebook, twitter) that we do today helps spread the message and unite people.