Syria’s Peasantry, the Descendants of Its Lesser Rural Notables, and Their Politics

432 Pages·1999·24.141 MB·English

by  Hanna Batatu

SyriaP'esa santtrhye,
DescendaonftI st Lse sseRru ral
Notablaensd,T heiPro litics
SyriaP'esa santtrhye,
DescendaonftI stL se sseRru ral
Notablaensd,T heiPro litics
HANNA BATATU
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PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY
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SyriaP'esa santtrhye,
DescendaonftI stL se sseRru ral
Notablaensd,T heiPro litics
HANNA BATATU
JfCJ1!:51-ffil�1c$
�i!f!tl�-!=
553565
.,
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY
i
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Int heU niteKdi ngdomP:r inceUtnoinv ersPirteysC sh,i chesWteesrtS, u ssex
AllR ightRse served TO THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA
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ISBN0 -691-20504-(la lpka.p er)
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PublisbhyePd r inceUtnoinv ersity4 1PW rielslsi,aS mt rePetr,i ncetNoenw, J ers0e8y5 40
Int heU niteKdi ngdomP:r inceUtnoinv ersPirteysC sh,i chesWteesrtS, u ssex
AllR ightRse served TO THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA
LibraorfyC ongreCsast aloging-in-PDuabtlai cation
BatatHua,n na1,9 26-
Syr'isap easantthreyd ,e scendaonfit tsls e ssreurr anlo tables,
andt hepiro litIiH casn naB atatu.
p. em.
Includbeisb liograrpehfiecraeln( cpe.s )a ndi ndex.
ISBN0 -691-20504-(la lpka.p er)
I.S yria-Politigcosv earnnmde nt-2c0etnht u.r 2y.P easants­
Syria-Political activityc-eHnitsutro3yr..yl -;2l0iatzlhb- Btah'
al-'Araalb-lJ sht(iSryilir ia4).A ssad, Ha1f9e2z8,-
[.T itle.
DS98.2B38169 99
956.9104'088'63-dc219 8-21289
CIP
Publicaotfit ohnib so okh asb eena idebdy a granftr om' Abd-ul-lD;ii.Jlnaimrljdl
Thisb ookh asb eenc omposeidnT imes Roman
PrinceUtnoinv ersPirteysb so okasr ep rintoenda cid-fpraepeea rn dm eett heg uidelines
forp ermanenacnedd urabiolfit thyeC ommittoeneP roductGiuoind elifnoerBs o ok
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C O N T E N T S
L!SOTF TABLES xiii
PREFACE XVll
PARTI :T HE PEASANTS'S OCIOECONOMICC ONDITIONS 3
CHAPTERI
TheR oleo fD emographics 5
CHAPTER2
Differentiations 10
The" Peasant-gardeannedtr hse"" AgricultPueraasla nts" 10
12
TheP acificP easanatnsd t heP easanotfsW arrioOrr igin
The" Orthodoaxn"d t he" HeterodoxP"e asants 13
TheC lanleasnsd C lan-linPkeeads ants 22
TheL andedan dL andlePsesa santtsh,eT raditioUnrabla nL andowners,
andt heM odem Mustathmirs 29
CHAPTER3
LivinCgo nditions 38
TheD istribwoifoA ng ricultIunrcaolm per iotro a nds incteh e
38
ResTmclllorfiA nggr ariRaenl aTions
TheL esseniCnogs To fA griculwCrraeld it 53
59
TheR educeTda x Burden
TheR apidE lectrificaotfti hoeCn o umryside 63
66
TheS preaodf S afeW ateNre tworks
66
TheE xpansioofnR uraHle altCha re
69
TheD evelopmeolflT lh eM eanso fC ommunicatainodnC onveyance
TheI nTensificaoftt ihoeSn t at:efE d ucatioEnffaolr ts 71
CHAPTER4
EconomiEcff icieyn c 75
LandU se 75
81
TheA griculwGrraolw thTr endsa ndR elateCda usaFla cTors
91
PossibLlien eosf F uturPer ogress
PARTII : THE PRE-BA'THP ATTERNS OF PEASANT
CONSCIOUSNESS,O RGANIZATION,A ND POLITICALB EHAVIOR 93
CHAPTER5
InrtoductiPoonr:t raoiftP se asanbtysI bnK haldiiBna,l zac,
TrotsFkya,t her AyarnoduJ t.C, . S cotatn,d T heiRre levance 95
C O N T E N T S
L!SOTF TABLES xiii
PREFACE XVll
PARTI :T HE PEASANTS'S OCIOECONOMICC ONDITIONS 3
CHAPTERI
TheR oleo fD emographics 5
CHAPTER2
Differentiations 10
The" Peasant-gardeannedtr hse"" AgricultPueraasla nts" 10
12
TheP acificP easanatnsd t heP easanotfsW arrioOrr igin
The" Orthodoaxn"d t he" HeterodoxP"e asants 13
TheC lanleasnsd C lan-linPkeeads ants 22
TheL andedan dL andlePsesa santtsh,eT raditioUnrabla nL andowners,
andt heM odem Mustathmirs 29
CHAPTER3
LivinCgo nditions 38
TheD istribwoifoA ng ricultIunrcaolm per iotro a nds incteh e
38
ResTmclllorfiA nggr ariRaenl aTions
TheL esseniCnogs To fA griculwCrraeld it 53
59
TheR educeTda x Burden
TheR apidE lectrificaotfti hoeCn o umryside 63
66
TheS preaodf S afeW ateNre tworks
66
TheE xpansioofnR uraHle altCha re
69
TheD evelopmeolflT lh eM eanso fC ommunicatainodnC onveyance
TheI nTensificaoftt ihoeSn t at:efE d ucatioEnffaolr ts 71
CHAPTER4
EconomiEcff icieyn c 75
LandU se 75
81
TheA griculwGrraolw thTr endsa ndR elateCda usaFla cTors
91
PossibLlien eosf F uturPer ogress
PARTII : THE PRE-BA'THP ATTERNS OF PEASANT
CONSCIOUSNESS,O RGANIZATION,A ND POLITICALB EHAVIOR 93
CHAPTER5
InrtoductiPoonr:t raoiftP se asanbtysI bnK haldiiBna,l zac,
TrotsFkya,t her AyarnoduJ t.C, . S cotatn,d T heiRre levance 95
viii CONTENTS CONTENTS ix
CHAPTE6R CHAPTE1R5
TheF irsPte asaOnrtg anizatoirot nhseC orporatoifo ns Asad's Military CareeQru aalnidf iMcialotiritt ohaneIrs ny,f erenacse s \
Peasant-garfrdoemn tehresS eventeetnott hhe T wentieCtehn tury 98 toH isG eneralsDheidpu cibflreo mH isP erformainnct eh e1 967a nd
1973W arsa ndd urinIgs raeIln'vsa sioofLn e banon 198
CHAPTE7R
Sufisma mongt heP easanAt sS:o urcoefP olitiQcuaile tism? 103 CHAPTE1R6
TheV arieAds pecotfsP oweri nA sad'Sst ate 204
CHAPTE8R
TheP roneneisnOs t tomaann dM andatTei meosf t heP easant A FewP reliminGaernye raOlb servatioonn "sD emocratRihce"t oraincd
MountaineteoRr esb ellainodno ft heP easanotfts h eO penP lains the RealoiftL iiefse 204
to IndiMreetchto dosfD efense 109 Asad'Psu bliacn dP rivaVtiee wosf t heP owero fM en int heM assa nd
TheiArp titufdoerP olitics 205
CHAPTE9R
TheF ourL evelosfA sad'Pso werS tructaunrdeT heiBra siCch aracterist2ic0s6
TheC ommunisatnsd t heP easants 118
CHAPTER1 7
CHAPTE1R0
Focusifnogra Whiloen t heM oreS ubtFleo rmso fP ower 208
TheA rabS ocialiosrtt hse,F irsAtg rariPaanr tiyn S yriaH'iss tory 124
CHAPTER1 8
PARTI/1 : THE RURAL AND PEASANTA SPECTSO F BA'THISM 131 TheO rganizaotfiP oonw era tt heS econTdi eorf A sad'Pso liatnyd
ItPsa rtakianmgo,n gO theFre aturoefsa , B asiTcr aiotf
CHAPTEIRI
PeasaLnitf e 217
TheO ldB a'tahn dt heP olitiRceaalr ionfga RuraIln telligentsia1 33
TheE lemellItnaslt ifnocrFt a milayn dC lana ndI tIsm pact 217
CHAPTER1 2
TheL esseRru raNlo tabilaintdty h eI nneCro reo ft heR egime's Leaders2h2i5p
The" TransitiBoan'atolhr"t heB a'tohft he1 960st,h eR isoef t he
IsA sad'Rse gimSee ctarian? 226
LesseRru raolr V illaNgoet abilaintdty h,e R uralizaotfit ohneA rmy,
TheA buseo fA uthoriintH yi ghP laceasn dI tPsr imSey mbol 230
theP artayn,d t,o S omeD egreteh,e S tatBeu reaucracy 144
The" SuccessCiroin.s is" 232
TheS ociaOlr igionfst heM emberosf t heM ilitaCroym mittee 145 New Tensions 237
TheC ausaFla ctobresh intdh eA scelolftf h eLe sserR uraolr A Wordo nt heS ecuriatnydI ntelligNeentcweo raknsd T heiKre yF igures 238
VillaNgoet ability 155
CHAPTE1R9
TheS teppedR-uurapl izatoifot nh eA rmedF orces 156
A Glancaet t heT hirLde veolf P owero ra tt heC ompositoifot nh e
Reasonfso rt heP aramount Infloufte hnec' eA laOwiffi cers 157
UppeErl itoeft heB a'tPha rt(y1 970-1997) 244
TheR uraPle netratoifto hneS tatBeu reaucracy 160
TheE nhanceRdu raClo lorionfgt heB a'tPlazr ty 161 CHAPTE2R0
TheA grariPaonl icioefts h e1 960asn dT heiSro ciaMle aning 162 Shiftitnhge Fotcout sh eF ourtLhe veolf P owero,r a nA nalysbiys ,
TheD ownfaolflt heM ainstreBaam' thiosftt hse 1 960asn dI tCsa uses 170 Way ofI llustraotft ihoeRn o,l eo ft heP easanGtesn'e rUanli on,
CHAPTER1 3 theP artyP'rsi nciApnacli llMaarsys O rganization 251
TheP ost-19A7s0a d-moldCeadr,e er-oriBean'ttehd 176 CHAPTE2R1
Qa'id-ui-Masfrah 176 A CloseVri ewo ft heS ummito fP owero,r A sad'Pse rsonaalsia t y
TheG eneraClh aracteriasntdSi occsi aClo mpositoifot nh eN ew Ba'th 177 Factoirnt heM aintenaonfcH ei sR ulea ndt heT hwartionfgH is
TheR easonWsh yt heP roportioofnP easanitnst heP artDye cliniendt he Opponents 256
1980asn dR oseS ubsequently 188 CHAPTE2R2
Oft heM anneirn W hichA sadD ealwti tth heM usliBmr ethraennd
PARTI V:f:I AFIZA L-ASAD,O R SYRIA'ESI RSTR ULER
theiMril itaanntdst ,h eL ighIttT hrowosn t heM ethodbsy W hich
OF PEASANT EXTRACTION 191 He Holds Sway 260
CHAPTER1 4 Copinwgi tthh eM usliBmr ethrbeynP ropitiatthie'n Ugi amaan'd
Asad'Bsa ckgrouEnadr,l Eyd ucatiPoanr,tA yp prenticeasnhdi p, How the' U/amRii'e sponded 260
First PolBiattitclael 193 Benefitifnrogm theD ivisiwointsh itnh eB rotherhood 262
viii CONTENTS CONTENTS ix
CHAPTE6R CHAPTE1R5
TheF irsPte asaOnrtg anizatoirot nhseC orporatoifo ns Asad's Military CareeQru aalnidf iMcialotiritt ohaneIrs ny,f erenacse s \
Peasant-garfrdoemn tehresS eventeetnott hhe T wentieCtehn tury 98 toH isG eneralsDheidpu cibflreo mH isP erformainnct eh e1 967a nd
1973W arsa ndd urinIgs raeIln'vsa sioofLn e banon 198
CHAPTE7R
Sufisma mongt heP easanAt sS:o urcoefP olitiQcuaile tism? 103 CHAPTE1R6
TheV arieAds pecotfsP oweri nA sad'Sst ate 204
CHAPTE8R
TheP roneneisnOs t tomaann dM andatTei meosf t heP easant A FewP reliminGaernye raOlb servatioonn "sD emocratRihce"t oraincd
MountaineteoRr esb ellainodno ft heP easanotfts h eO penP lains the RealoiftL iiefse 204
to IndiMreetchto dosfD efense 109 Asad'Psu bliacn dP rivaVtiee wosf t heP owero fM en int heM assa nd
TheiArp titufdoerP olitics 205
CHAPTE9R
TheF ourL evelosfA sad'Pso werS tructaunrdeT heiBra siCch aracterist2ic0s6
TheC ommunisatnsd t heP easants 118
CHAPTER1 7
CHAPTE1R0
Focusifnogra Whiloen t heM oreS ubtFleo rmso fP ower 208
TheA rabS ocialiosrtt hse,F irsAtg rariPaanr tiyn S yriaH'iss tory 124
CHAPTER1 8
PARTI/1 : THE RURAL AND PEASANTA SPECTSO F BA'THISM 131 TheO rganizaotfiP oonw era tt heS econTdi eorf A sad'Pso liatnyd
ItPsa rtakianmgo,n gO theFre aturoefsa , B asiTcr aiotf
CHAPTEIRI
PeasaLnitf e 217
TheO ldB a'tahn dt heP olitiRceaalr ionfga RuraIln telligentsia1 33
TheE lemellItnaslt ifnocrFt a milayn dC lana ndI tIsm pact 217
CHAPTER1 2
TheL esseRru raNlo tabilaintdty h eI nneCro reo ft heR egime's Leaders2h2i5p
The" TransitiBoan'atolhr"t heB a'tohft he1 960st,h eR isoef t he
IsA sad'Rse gimSee ctarian? 226
LesseRru raolr V illaNgoet abilaintdty h,e R uralizaotfit ohneA rmy,
TheA buseo fA uthoriintH yi ghP laceasn dI tPsr imSey mbol 230
theP artayn,d t,o S omeD egreteh,e S tatBeu reaucracy 144
The" SuccessCiroin.s is" 232
TheS ociaOlr igionfst heM emberosf t heM ilitaCroym mittee 145 New Tensions 237
TheC ausaFla ctobresh intdh eA scelolftf h eLe sserR uraolr A Wordo nt heS ecuriatnydI ntelligNeentcweo raknsd T heiKre yF igures 238
VillaNgoet ability 155
CHAPTE1R9
TheS teppedR-uurapl izatoifot nh eA rmedF orces 156
A Glancaet t heT hirLde veolf P owero ra tt heC ompositoifot nh e
Reasonfso rt heP aramount Infloufte hnec' eA laOwiffi cers 157
UppeErl itoeft heB a'tPha rt(y1 970-1997) 244
TheR uraPle netratoifto hneS tatBeu reaucracy 160
TheE nhanceRdu raClo lorionfgt heB a'tPlazr ty 161 CHAPTE2R0
TheA grariPaonl icioefts h e1 960asn dT heiSro ciaMle aning 162 Shiftitnhge Fotcout sh eF ourtLhe veolf P owero,r a nA nalysbiys ,
TheD ownfaolflt heM ainstreBaam' thiosftt hse 1 960asn dI tCsa uses 170 Way ofI llustraotft ihoeRn o,l eo ft heP easanGtesn'e rUanli on,
CHAPTER1 3 theP artyP'rsi nciApnacli llMaarsys O rganization 251
TheP ost-19A7s0a d-moldCeadr,e er-oriBean'ttehd 176 CHAPTE2R1
Qa'id-ui-Masfrah 176 A CloseVri ewo ft heS ummito fP owero,r A sad'Pse rsonaalsia t y
TheG eneraClh aracteriasntdSi occsi aClo mpositoifot nh eN ew Ba'th 177 Factoirnt heM aintenaonfcH ei sR ulea ndt heT hwartionfgH is
TheR easonWsh yt heP roportioofnP easanitnst heP artDye cliniendt he Opponents 256
1980asn dR oseS ubsequently 188 CHAPTE2R2
Oft heM anneirn W hichA sadD ealwti tth heM usliBmr ethraennd
PARTI V:f:I AFIZA L-ASAD,O R SYRIA'ESI RSTR ULER
theiMril itaanntdst ,h eL ighIttT hrowosn t heM ethodbsy W hich
OF PEASANT EXTRACTION 191 He Holds Sway 260
CHAPTER1 4 Copinwgi tthh eM usliBmr ethrbeynP ropitiatthie'n Ugi amaan'd
Asad'Bsa ckgrouEnadr,l Eyd ucatiPoanr,tA yp prenticeasnhdi p, How the' U/amRii'e sponded 260
First PolBiattitclael 193 Benefitifnrogm theD ivisiwointsh itnh eB rotherhood 262
X CONTENTS CONTENTS xi
EncouragtihnegQ uietiosfmt heB rotherho"oDda:m�a scFuasc tion"? 265 APPENDIX
Facintgh eM ilitanVtiso'l eBnlto wasn dT heiLra rge-scAarlmee dR ebellions, Memberso ft heS yriaBna 'tPha rty( Regional) Commands,
ort heG raveIstn ternCallz a//etnoHg ies R egime 266 1963-1997 331
UsinFgo rcaet F irst GuaradnedDd liyff erentibaettiwnege tnh eM ilitants,
LeavinOgp ena Lineo fR etrefaotr" thMei sleda"m ongT hem 270 NOTES 355
Feelionugt t heC ountry'Tesm per 271
SELECBTI BLIOGRAPHY 391
AlteritnhgeS ectarCioamnp ositoifot nh eB a'tCho mmanda ndP laciinng
High-ProPfiolsetM so reS unnfs from FaHmiiglhiR eesl igoifo us INDE1X: S UBJECTS 405
271
Status
INDEIIX: P ERSONANLA MES 409
Linkitnhge I rreconciMlialbilteat nott sh eC .I.aAn.d T akintgh eP roblebmy
theH orns andG ointgh eL imit 272 INDEIIXI N:A MESO F FAMILIAENSD T RIBES 414
FrustratthienM gu sliBmr ethriennE xile 275
MoreF irmliynt heS addlteh aEnv er 277
CHAPTE2R3
Asad'Msa inC oncepattst heL eveolf R egionPaoll itics:
Endso rI nstruments? 279
Asada ndP an-Arabism 279
Asada ndt heI raq-IWraarn 283
TheC onfliwcitt Ihs raaenld t heC oncepotfS tratePgairci ty 285
CHAPTER2 4
An In-depStthu doyf A sad'Rse latiownist hF atia)n dt heP .L.O.
from1 966t o1 997a ndt heL ighItt S hedosn HisA imsa nd
Techniques 287
TheF irsStp elolfF at/.1-Ba'th Cooperation 287
"'ThAeff aiorf Y !lsuf'Uriibf" 288
Fromt he1 96A7r abD efeattot heJ ordaniCarni soifs1 970-1971 289
TheT wisatnsd T urnpsr iotroa ndd urintgh e1 975-19L7e6b aneCsiev il
Conflicta ndt heS lidfer omL atenEtn mitiyn tOop enW ar 292
An InterloufdA ep pareHnatr mony 300
The1 982I sraelIin vasioofLn e banoann dt heV irtlAlbaaln donmeonft
theP alestiRneisai1s1t atnocI et Fsa te 302
TheR uptuorfeR elatiaonndst heB attolfeT ripoli 303
'ArafiiStp rinSgusr pri.�es 307
The'A rafiit-Kljiunsga y1n9 85In itiative 308
TlzRee emergence oifn L eFbaatn}Jo nM'isl itary EquthaetA iloleng,e d
"AssurancteoIs s"r aealn,dt he" Waro ft heC amps"o f1 985-1988 309
Thel lllifiit<fhaeTh en,u ou1s9 8A8g reemenatn,dt heC ontinuDeidv ergence
312
ofP olicies
Turninag New Page? 315
'ArafiiGto esH isO wn Way 315
PulliTnogg ethAegra in 318
SomeC onclusions 320
CHAPTE2R5
Epilogue 323