| Native name | حزب الشعب |
|---|---|
| Foundation | August 1948 |
| Split | National Bloc |
| Dissolution | 1963 |
| Headquarters | Aleppo |
| Newspaper | Al-Shab |
| Ideology | |
| Position | Centre-right |
| Country | Syria |
The People's Party (Arabic: حزب الشعب Ḥizb aš-Šaʿb; French: Parti du peuple) was a Syrian political party that dominated Syrian politics during the 1950s and the early 1960s.
The party was officially founded in August 1948 by Rushdi al-Kikhiya, Nazem al-Qudsi and Mustafa bey Barmada.[6] It saw its greatest levels of support among Aleppo merchants, bankers and those in agriculture in surrounding areas. It supported closer ties with Hashemite-ruled Iraq and Jordan, although some members also supported closer ties with Lebanon. Similar to its rival, the National Party, it was also popular among landowners and landlords.
Proposal to revive the party in Ba'athist Syria
Prior to the fall of the Assad regime, there had been discussions about reviving the party in some form following the liberalization of requirements for membership in the National Progressive Front, but this was never materialized.[7]
Leaders
| Leader | Tenure | Position(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rushdi al-Kikhya | 1949–1951 | Speaker of the People's Assembly of Syria | |
| Hashim al-Atassi | 1940–1955 | President of Syria | |
| Nazim al-Kudsi | 1961–1963 | President of Syria | |
| Maarouf al-Dawalibi | 1961–1962 | Prime Minister of Syria | |
| Rashad Barmada | 1954–1962 | Minister of Defense | |
| Abd al-Wahhab Hawmad | 1954–1956 | Minister of Finance | |
References
- ^ Lawson 2013, pp. 61–63.
- ^ Schumann 2010, pp. 54–62.
- ^ Moubayed 2006, p. 200.
- ^ Maddy-Weitzman 1993, p. 151.
- ^ Abadi, Jacob (July 2020). "US-Syrian Relations, 1920-1967: The Bitter Harvest of a Flawed Policy". Athens Journal of History. 6 (3): 178. The Athens Institute.
The two key figures who promoted the idea of rapprochement with the US were the Syrian nationalists Fares al-Khoury and Abdul Rahman Shahbandar. According the Khoury, Wilson told Faisal, "if the people truly want independence, then I will not allow any country in the world to control Syria!" But when the issue was discussed again, another nationalist, Shukri al-Quwatli told Crane to inform Wilson that while the Syrians considered the US a friend they will not accept it as a mandatory power. He said explicitly, "we will not move from one disaster to another."
- ^ Lesch, David W. (2019-05-20). Syria: A Modern History. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-5095-2755-7.
- ^ Sami, Moubayed (26 April 2005). "Syria's Ba'athists loosen the reins". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 25 April 2005. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
Bibliography
- Lawson, Fred H. (2013), Global Security Watch—Syria, ABC-CLIO, ISBN 978-0-3133-5957-6
- Scott, Len & Hughes, R. Gerald (2013), Intelligence, Crises and Security: Prospects and Retrospects, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-4154-6430-7
- Schumann, Christoph (2010), Nationalism and Liberal Thought in the Arab East: Ideology and Practice, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-4155-5410-7
- Moubayed, Sami M. (2006), Steel & Silk: Men and Women who Shaped Syria 1900-2000, Cune Press, ISBN 978-1-8859-4241-8
- Chaurasia, Radhey S. (2005), History of Middle East, Atlantic Publishers & Dist, ISBN 978-8-1269-0448-8
- Commins, David Dean (2004), Historical dictionary of Syria, Scarecrow Press, ISBN 978-0-8108-4934-1
- Moubayed, Sami M. (2002), Damascus between democracy and dictatorship, University Press of America, ISBN 978-0-7618-1744-4
- Maddy-Weitzman, Bruce (1993), The Crystallization of the Arab State System, 1945-1954, Syracuse University Press, ISBN 978-0-8156-2580-3
- Ro'i, Yaacov (1974), From encroachment to involvement: a documentary study of Soviet policy in the Middle East, 1945-1973, Transaction Publishers, ISBN 978-0-470-73150-5