baasist

A baasist, or Ba'athist (also spelled Baathist), is a supporter or adherent of Ba'athism or the Ba'ath Party. The term derives from the Arabic word ba'ath, meaning revival or renaissance. Ba'athism combines Arab nationalism, secularism, and a form of socialism with an emphasis on unity among Arab people and states.

The Ba'ath Party originated in the 1940s in the Arab world, most notably in Syria, with key founders such as Michel Aflaq and Salah ad-Din al-Bitar. Its ideology stressed the revival of Arab identity, the creation of a united Arab nation, and social reform through state-led development. The party presented itself as a secular, pan-Arab movement that aimed to modernize economies while reducing foreign influence.

In 1966, the Ba'ath movement split into rival Iraqi and Syrian branches following internal disputes. Both branches pursued centralized, one-party governance under Ba'athist leadership. In Syria, the party led by Hafiz al-Assad and later his son Bashar al-Assad remained the ruling party for decades. In Iraq, the Iraqi Ba'ath Party, led by Saddam Hussein, held power from 1968 and ruled with an authoritarian style until the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Core characteristics attributed to baasit are secular governance, state-directed development, and a single-party system emphasizing loyalty to the party and to the broader Ba'athist project of Arab unity and socialism. Critics point to authoritarianism, human rights abuses, and suppression of political pluralism under Ba'athist regimes. Today, Ba'athist influence persists most visibly in Syria, though the movement has diminished in broader regional prominence.

See also: Ba'ath Party, Ba'athism, Michel Aflaq, Saddam Hussein, Bashar al-Assad.