Syria by Alan George

Syria by Alan George

After the death of Syria’s President Hafiz al-Asad in mid-2000, hopes were high that his son and successor, Bashar, might succeed in reforming a system that had become a byword for economic stagnation and the pitiless repression of dissent. For six months, and for the first time in decades, Syrians were able to speak freely, without fear of the hated secret police. Political discussion groups mushroomed. The press started carrying articles openly demanding democracy, and petitions were circulated insisting that democracy was essential not only for its own sake but as a condition for desperately needed investment and economic expansion. Based on the testimony of key players, Syria: Neither Bread Nor Freedom recounts the drama of the ‘Damascus Spring’ and its repression, and reveals what happens in a state like Syria to the institutions that occupy the political space between government and governed.  From political parties to parliament, from the media to the judicial system and universities, this book lifts the veil of rhetoric and propaganda to reveal a system so demoralized and corrupt that power is wielded for no purpose but power itself. This is Bashar al-Asad’s legacy and the system which, given time, he hopes to reform.

'A devastating critique of one-party rule and unchecked power, and a stirring vindication of Syria's courageous civil society movement' - Rana Kabbani 'Alan George has managed to combine journalistic immediacy with academic reflection to great effect in this fascinating study of modern SyriaBased, as it is, on personal interviews with Syrians directly involved in contemporary developments there, as well as on an awareness of the Syrian reality developed over many years, this book illuminates the real crisis that Syria faces as it tries to restructure the monolithic legacy of the late President Hafidh al-Assad' - George Joffe, Centre for International Studies, Cambridge University

Alan George has worked as a freelance journalist and researcher, contributing to a wide range of UK and international publications including the Observer, the Independent and Private Eye in the UK.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781842772133
ISBN 10	1842772139
Title	Syria
Author	Alan George
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Year published	2003-04-01
Number of pages	224
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable