I dont understand this, I get so many mixed messages on Ba'athism and its followers like the Bashar family and Saddam Hussein. Are they socialist?
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No, not at all. Baathism was/is a progressive all-Arab nationalist movement.
Loz has it pegged. In this age of near-total labor marginalization even nationalism has taken on a new ability to be progressive again.
It should be noted fhat Ba'athism differs quite a lot from nation to nation. In Iraq for instance it went to war against Iran and killed communists en masse (basically working for America from the start). Versus Syria where communists and nationalists generally worked together and are strong allies of Iran. ![]() Dagoth Ur wrote: See thats what confused me. In Iraq, the Ba'athist party targeted and killed communist. So I automatically figured that the Ba'athist party in Syria would be doing the same. Well, I guess I'll reform my attitude toward the Syrian government. ![]()
The Communists in Syria have supported Assad for decades as members of his government. It's been known for a long time that in Syria the options are Ba'athism or Saudi Wahabbism.
![]() Dagoth Ur wrote: Saudi Wahabbism? Please explain to me. ![]()
Ba'athism has left and right tendencies, hence the possibilities for both cooperation and hostility toward communists. It can be said that the Iraqi Ba'ath was dominated by a left tendency until Saddam Hussein came to power and began turning the country into a right-wing, kleptocratic fiefdom. It was during this time that the Soviets began supporting the Kurds. In Syria, personalist dictatorship and right tendencies never won out, hence the warm relations with the local communist parties (and with the USSR, while it was around). The contemporary alliance with Iran is a strategic rather than an ideational one.
Dagoth, the progressive nature of pan-Arabist nationalist sentiment lies in its antagonism toward radical Islam, monarchy, and Western imperialism. In its Middle Eastern context it's been the predominant progressive choice since Nasser's time. "The thing about capitalism is that it sounds awful on paper and is horrendous in practice. Communism sounds wonderful on paper and when it was put into practice it was done pretty well for what they had to work with." -MiG
Soviet cogitations: 1537
Defected to the U.S.S.R.: 14 Jan 2010, 05:46 Ideology: Marxism-Leninism Party Member Eire wrote: He's refrencing to the Islamic fundamentalists that are supported by the Saudi Regime, that are fighting against the Ba'athist government in Syria. "Those who do not move, do not notice their chains." - Rosa Luxemburg Long Live The Bolivarian Revolution! RIP Muamar Qadafi RIP Hugo Chavez
Ba'athism is a part of arab nationalist ideology. It promotes secularism and the creation of a unified Arab state. It is progressive from the view that is in contrast with Islamic fundamentalism. But i dont think so that is based in left/socialist economic ideas. Any socialism references are about unity or all tribes and casts in an arab nation
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