Syria and the Arab Spring

As the Arab Spring enters its second year, major uprisings and revolts have occurred all over the Middle East, pushing for an end to the corrupt autocratic rule and an expansion of civil liberties and political rights. Most recently, images from Syria have emerged, depicting the government’s use of force to suppress the voice of its people. One might ask, “Is this the beginning of a revolution? Is the country on the path to democracy?” To assess this question and examine the future trends in the region, one must look back on the country’s somewhat tumultuous history, the relationship between the citizens and the state, and the political economy.

After a wave of Arab nationalism swept through the region, the authority of the Ottoman Empire was undermined. Thus, various ethnic groups under the empire began to secede and form their own nations. Syria was one of them. In 1919, the Syrian and Arabian nationalist wanted to set up an independent nation with Fasial, who was the son of Sharif Hussein, the leader of Mecca in the Arabian Peninsula as their king. Instead, in 1920, the San Remo Conference put Syria under French control. This was later recognized by the League of Nations in 1922 where the French were given an official mandate to rule the country until it could stand on its own.

The French ruled oppressively, splitting the country into regions along ethnic and religious lines in order to divide and conquer. It wasn’t until World War II did Syria gain independence. Syria was granted de jure independence in 1941. Then, in 1943, President Shukri al-Kuwatly took power. However, the last French solider did not leave until 1946.

The first twenty-five years of Syrian independence was filled with extreme political instability and p...

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...s the ordinary Syrian who tries hard to surmount he difficulties of everyday life and who is tired of political slogans” (qtd. in Lawson 416).

Works Cited

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Lawson, Fred H. "Syria." Politics & society in the contemporary Middle East. Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2010. 411 - 434. Print.

Quarterly, inc. "Syria." The Middle East. 11th ed. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2007. 437 - 456. Print.

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