[Referring to the Arab Spring:] The people were ruled for decades in fear of regimes. This year the fear was overtaken by hope and dreams of change.

The remark contrasts two collective emotional climates in the Arab world: a long period in which authoritarian rule maintained compliance through intimidation, and the sudden emergence—during the Arab Spring—of a countervailing public mood in which hope became stronger than fear. The phrasing suggests that political change is not only a matter of institutions or leaders but also of psychology: once people believe change is possible, the regime’s main tool (fear) loses effectiveness. The quote also implies a generational or historical turning point, where dreams of reform and dignity become socially contagious and can propel mass mobilization even in the face of repression.