Syrian Elites and the Quest for Democracy in Syria
The problem with Syrians quest for democracy and freedom is compounded by the lack of support of a group of Syrian elites that have become part and parcel of the regime’s outspoken defenders in order to secure their own financial interests in the country. Many Syrians of different intellectual backgrounds have been practicing what one might term as “intellectual dishonesty” when it comes to criticism of the regime. Some families have benefited greatly under the new social and economic cronyism that has become the hall-mark of what the regime calls the new “social market economy”. Well known Sunni families now seem to rally around Mr. Dardari, Deputy Prime minister for economic affairs. Those families seem to be the beneficiary of the new economic policies adopted by the government for its fifth centralized economic plan for the country. However, cronyism seems to be the only proper characterization for this Syrian economy. Another group of elites that have greatly benefited from this s