Baathists

Baathists are adherents of Ba'athism, a political ideology associated with the Ba'ath Party that emphasizes Arab nationalism, socialism, and secular governance. The Ba'ath Party arose in the Arab world with the goal of unifying Arab lands and modernizing society through state-led development. The movement developed separate Iraqi and Syrian branches, which came to prominence and rule in their respective countries after mid-20th-century coups.

Ba'athism combines pan-Arab nationalism, socialism, and secularism, with an emphasis on modernization and anti-imperialism. In practice, Ba'athist regimes centralized authority, maintained one-party rule, and relied on security services to suppress dissent. The ideology sought to create a unified Arab state that could resist foreign influence while pursuing social and economic reform, though implementations varied between Syria and Iraq and often led to authoritarian governance and political repression.

In Syria, Ba'athist influence rose after a 1963 coup, with the movement consolidating power under Hafez al-Assad following the 1970 Corrective Movement and continuing under his son, Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian Ba'ath Party became the dominant institution in the state, shaping foreign policy and internal governance amid a protracted civil conflict since 2011.

In Iraq, the Iraqi Ba'ath Party gained power in 1968, with Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr becoming president and Saddam Hussein rising as a leading figure by 1979. The Iraqi regime was characterized by a highly centralized state, extensive security apparatus, and extensive use of repression and coercive tactics, including wars with Iran and the invasion of Kuwait. The Ba'ath Party was banned in Iraq after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, with many former members operating underground or in exile.

Notable figures associated with Ba'athism include Michel Aflaq and Salah al-Din al-Bitar (founders), and in the ruling circles of Syria and Iraq, Hafez and Bashar al-Assad, and Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr and Saddam Hussein.