Abstract
The term confessionalism as used in this paper calls for an explanation. It originated as a recent construct introduced into English usage by students of Lebanon’s history and politics. In that context the term denotes a political system which recognizes and acknowledges the power and importance of communal loyalties and seeks to regulate communal conflict by distributing political power and administrative positions according to an accepted formula. (1)
Research for this paper was facilitated by Ford Foundation grant administered to Israel’s Foundations Trustees.
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Footnotes
See for instance, J. Entelis, Pluralism and Party Transformation in Lebanon (Leiden, 1974 ).
Patrick Seale, The Struggle for Syria (London, 1965), pp. 132–144, and B. Winder’s translation of Shaikh Mustafa al-Siba’i’s statement in Muslim World,1954, pp. 217–226.
U. Van Dam, “De Rol Van Sektarisme, Regionalisme en Tribalisme bij de Strijd on de Politike Macht in Syrie, 1961–1976” (unpublished Ph. D. dissertation, U. of Amsterdam, 1977), and M. Van Dusen, “Infra and Inter Generational Conflict in the Syrian Army” (unpublished Ph. D. dissertation, Johns Hopkins University, 1971), and I. Rabinovich, Syria under the Ba`th, 1963–1966 (Jerusalem and N.Y., 1973 ).
Notable examples in this respect were the Alawi officer Muhammad `Umran and the Druze officer Salim Hatum. Their activities were described in the memoirs of Munif al-Razzaz, former Secretary General of the Ba`th Party, published under the title al-tajriba al-murra (Beirut,1967).
For a balanced assessment of the role of confessionalism in Syrian politics during the 1960s see M. Seymour, “The Dynamics of Power in Syria since the Break with Egypt”, Middle Eastern Studies, VI, 1970, pp. 17–19.
See the illuminating debate provided in the Ba`thi publication, al-taqrir al-watha’iqi li-azmat al-hizb (Damascus, 1966).
For some recent changes see I. Rabinovich, “Syria” in Colin Legum (ed.), Middle East Contemporary Survey, 1977 (New York, 1978 ).
See T. Petran, Syria (London, 1972), pp. 246–258.
A. Kelidar, “Religion and State in Syria”, Asian Affairs, Vol. 61 ( New Series, Vol. V ) 1974, pp. 16–22.
Quoted by al-Hayat,Beirut, February 24, 1973.
Quoted by the French News Agency, Beirut, March 1, 1973.
See Munir al-Sharif, al-alawiyyun man hum wa-ayna hum? (Damascus, 1946), p. 59; al-Hayat,Beirut, April 4 and July 6, 1973 and al-Nahar,Beirut, July 6, 1973.
Radio Damascus, April 12, 1976.
Ibid.
Radio Damascus, July 20, 1976.
Al-Thawra,Damascus, May 21, 1977.
The Washington Post news service quoted by Ma ariv,Tel Aviv, April 10, 1978.
Ibid.
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Rabinovich, I. (1979). Problems of Confessionalism in Syria. In: Stein, G., Steinbach, U. (eds) The Contemporary Middle Eastern Scene. Schriften des Deutschen Orient-Instituts. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-97145-6_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-322-97145-6_12
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