I cannot speak for all counties here, in The Middle East, but I feel a lot has to with failing economies and a relatively young population.
Most of these economies have in common that there is no true free economic system, few reliable institutions and an underdeveloped service sector. The economies are often fueled by a money flow from activities that do not sustain employment by itself. The oil industry, for instance, generates a lot buying power, but little employment. The same goes for economies that are kept afloat with foreign aid. Many kids go to schools and universities to then find out that there is no one waiting for them. They feel entitled to a place in life but there is economy for them to participate in.
These are – in my impression – the core of the protesting movement. The truly poor people cannot afford to riot and rebel, they are looking for food and shelter and have no powe base. In Egypt, as an example, the median age is 24 years and one out of three of the population is under 14.
I feel this is bein recognized by some of the countries though, that invest heavily in setting up a better institutional infrastucture and services industry.