Syria’s anti-imperialist mask: unveiling contradictions of the left through anti-capitalist thought

The accountancy profession and emerging economies

“…Syria and Syrians at that time prided themselves as socialist, anti-imperialist and anti-Zionist. However, for many Syrians, especially since the 1970s, there was a realisation that these pan-Arab and socialist slogans were merely rhetorical, used by the State to control debate and hinder public criticism (Mogannam, 2018). 1 The socialist and nationalist sentiments led to State control over main industries, engendering a large public sector controlling the main areas of Syria's economy and infrastructure (Quilliam, 1999).…”

“…1 The socialist and nationalist sentiments led to State control over main industries, engendering a large public sector controlling the main areas of Syria's economy and infrastructure (Quilliam, 1999). As Syria's Arab neighbours, who had closer relations with the West, moved toward the open market and liberalisation of their economies, it was difficult for Syria to sustain a socialist and nationalised economy, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union (Wieland, 2006;Mogannam, 2018). Syria's conflict with the West and sanctions imposed on it by the US meant that Syria's liberalisation was mainly linked to Russia, China and Iran (Mogannam, 2018).…”

“…As Syria's Arab neighbours, who had closer relations with the West, moved toward the open market and liberalisation of their economies, it was difficult for Syria to sustain a socialist and nationalised economy, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union (Wieland, 2006;Mogannam, 2018). Syria's conflict with the West and sanctions imposed on it by the US meant that Syria's liberalisation was mainly linked to Russia, China and Iran (Mogannam, 2018). Especially since the 1990s, major 'modernisation' efforts were manifested in all sectors of the economy, and private investment was promoted in previous State monopolies, such as education and banking (Gallhofer et al, 2011).…”

“…Especially since the 1990s, major 'modernisation' efforts were manifested in all sectors of the economy, and private investment was promoted in previous State monopolies, such as education and banking (Gallhofer et al, 2011). Although the privatisation of the Syrian economy was gradual, the material reality for Syrians was difficult, very similar to the experience of their Arab neighbours in Jordan, Lebanon or Egypt who aligned their market reforms with the West and programmes of the IMF (Mogannam, 2018).…”

Postsocialist politics and the ends of revolution

“…The concerns of postsocialism, of course, are not separate from those of religion and secularism in geopolitics. In this issue, for instance, Jennifer Mogannam (2017) looks at current events in Syria to re-examine the Arab Spring uprisings as the assertion of 'Arab life' as part of an anti-US politics deriving from Cold War imperialism, but also of a more complex regional politics that trouble an easy reading of the uprisings as straightforward revolutions.…”