Ba'ath Party

The Arab Socialist Ba'th Party (also spelled Baath or Ba'ath; Arabic: ??? ????? ?????? ?????????) was founded in 1945 as a radical, left-wing, secular Arab nationalist political party. It functioned as a pan-Arab party with branches in different Arab countries, but was strongest in Syria and Iraq, coming to power in both countries in 1963. In 1966 the Syrian and Iraqi parties split into two rival organisations. Both Ba'th parties retained the same name and maintain parallel structures in the Arab world.

Ba'thist power in Syria

From 1963, the Ba'ath functioned as the only legal Syrian political party, but factionalism and splintering within the party led to a succession of governments and new constitutions. On 23 February 1966 a military junta led by Salah Jadid took power, and set out on a more radical line. Although they had not been supporters of the victorious far-left line at the Sixth Party Congress, they had now moved to adopt its positions and displaced the more moderate wing in power, purging from the party its original founders, Aflaq and al-Bitar.

Related Topics:
23 February - Junta - Salah Jadid

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At this juncture the Syrian Ba'th party split into two factions: the "progressive" faction, led by Nureddin Atassi, which gave priority to neo-Marxist economic reform, and the so-called nationalist group, led by Hafiz al-Asad. Asad was unenthusiastic about the radical and increasingly unpopular socialist line the Ba'th was pursuing. He also favoured a more cautious approach in external affairs: he viewed a reconciliation with the conservative Arab states, notably Saudi Arabia, as essential for Syria's strategic position. Despite constant maneuvering and government changes, the two factions remained in an uneasy coalition of power until 1970, when, in another coup, Asad succeeded in ousting Atassi as prime minister. The Ba'th Party in Syria became virtually indistinguishable from the state, with membership numbers well over one million reflecting the fact that party membership was vital to advancement in many sectors. Other socialist parties accepting the basic orientation of the regime were permitted to operate again, and in 1973 the National Progressive Front was established as a coalition of the legal parties; the Ba'th remained firmly in control. Meanwhile, supporters of the far-left line formed the Democratic Arab Socialist Ba'th Party, which remains in existence to this day as an illegal opposition party in Syria and in exile.

Related Topics:
Nureddin Atassi - Socialist - Saudi Arabia - 1973 - National Progressive Front - Democratic Arab Socialist Ba'th Party

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The Syrian Ba'th and the Iraqi Ba'th were by now two separate parties, each maintaining that it was the genuine party and electing a National Command to take charge of the party across the Arab world. However, in Syria the Regional Command was the real centre of party power, and the membership of the National Command was a largely honorary position, often the destination of figures being eased out of the leadership.

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Asad, one of the longest-ruling leaders of the modern Middle East, remained at Syria's political helm until his death in 2000, when his son Bashar al Assad succeeded him as President and as Regional Secretary of the party.

Related Topics:
Middle East - 2000 - Bashar al Assad

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The Ba'th holds 135 of the 250 seats in the Syrian parliament, a figure which is dictated by election regulations rather than by voting patterns.

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The party outside Syria

The Syria-based Ba'th Party has branches in Lebanon, Yemen, Jordan, Sudan, Iraq (currently split into two factions), etc., although none of the non-Syrian branches have any major strength. Among the Palestinians, as-Sa'iqa, a member organization of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, is the Syrian Ba'th party branch.

Related Topics:
Lebanon - Yemen - Jordan - Sudan - Iraq - As-Sa'iqa - Palestine Liberation Organisation

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