While it's true that some economists have been warning for quite some time about the effects of food/commodities prices, history should have taught that food and liberties are always claimed when a revolution starts. During the French Revolution people cried "pain et liberté", that means bread and freedom. It is apparent that a combination of high food prices and unemployment under a dictatorial regime create the condition of social unrest and revolutions. The domino effect is ongoing.
Lessons from the financial crisis and history should be that definitely we should not reply "If they have no bread, let them eat cake!"("S'ils n'ont plus de pain, qu’ils mangent de la brioche"). I am not sure that some governments, politicians, bankers or economists have fully understood that it's not the right answer to keep going in business as usual mode.
UPDATE: The BBC has an interesting map about the potential for social unrest following the fall of the presidents of Egypt and Tunisia.
While the map should be titled "Mediterranean and Middle East protests", I still contend that Berlusconi should be included in that survey with a pretty high unrest index based at least on age and corruption. Definitely the domino effect should sweep more leaders from power...
In Italian read here .
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