Final answer:
The common element between the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street protests, and the Tea Party movement is that they are examples of conflict theory in action, emphasizing collective change for greater liberty and economic equity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street protests, and the Tea Party movement have in common their role as examples of conflict theory in action. These movements and protests occurred in different forms across both democratic and autocratic governments, challenging the notion that they are exclusive to representative democracies or that they sought to destroy central government outright. While instances of violence were present, particularly during some of the Arab Spring protests, the Occupy and Tea Party movements were largely nonviolent.
The emphasis of these movements was on the collective action of oppressed groups aimed at changing or influencing their governmental systems for greater liberty and economic equity. The driving force behind such movements is often the discrepancy between expected and actual need satisfaction, leading to a critical mass of frustration and mobilization for change.