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Syria Attitudes Toward Foreign Ideologies and Systems
Whatever their background, Syrians generally distrust
foreigners on initial contact, although this wariness wanes over
time. Syrian rejection of foreign ideologies and systems,
especially those of the West, has deep historical roots. Muslim
scholars divide the world into two realms: the Dar al Islam, the
realm of Islam, and the Dar al Harb, the realm of warfare
inhabited by infidels. It is in theory incumbent upon Muslims to
convert the latter into the former, by persuasion if possible, by
conquest if necessary
(see Islam
, ch. 2). Moreover, Islam
stipulates that Muslim nations cannot enter into peace agreements
with nations of the Dar al Harb, only temporary truces, a
distinction that causes disputes in translating peace treaties.
Although few contemporary Syrians espouse such a categorical
worldview, Syrian politicians do invoke the medieval Crusaders'
invasion of the Dar al Islam to arouse nationalism and compare it
to more modern European intervention in the area. Furthermore,
the long periods of colonial control and exploitation of Syria by
Ottoman Turks and the French are well remembered.
Indignation and a deep-seated sense of injustice are common
among Syrians, who feel their country has been betrayed by
European powers, which Syria, to its chagrin, must nevertheless
emulate or solicit for development aid. Added to this sense of
betrayal is an acute realization of Syrian's economic and social
underdevelopment in comparison with modern industrialized
nations, to which underdevelopment the Syrians attribute the
succession of military defeats by Israel since 1948. Syrians find
their country's underdevelopment is especially painful because
they are aware that Syria was the ancient cradle of civilization
and, during the Umayyad era, the world's preeminent empire.
These sentiments gave birth to a new, indigenous ideology of
Arab renaissance and resurrection and the rejection of foreign
ideologies. Although Syrian political parties were influenced by
Western models, the first generation of Syrian political leaders
sought to establish their nationalist credentials by dissociating
themselves from French colonialism. Therefore, they avoided or
denied the similarities between their new political parties and
those of the West. In addition, although communism has a distinct
political constituency in Syria, it is not popular among radical
nationalists because of its non-Arab origin and its atheism,
which offends traditionalists. However, the Soviet Union, having
played little or no part in the historic reasons for the
rejection of the West and having actively supported Syria and the
Arab cause against Israel, is accepted as friendly, as are the
East European states and China. However, Syria has attempted to
adhere to a nonaligned foreign policy with regard to the EastWest confrontation, and in recent years it has tempered its
strident anti-Westernism with growing tolerance and pragmatic
adaptation.
Data as of April 1987
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