Jadaliyya Co-Editor Bassam Haddad discussed his book, Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience with C-Span`s Book TV, and talked about the current conflict in that country. This interview was recorded on the campus of George Mason University on 27 September 2012 and aired recently on C-Span.
The themes addressed include:
- The gradual transformation of the Syrian economy after 1970
- State-business networks and cronyism in Syria prior to the uprising
- The existence of economic networks elsewhere, including in the United States
- Tailored economic policies that benefited the upper business echelons
- The economic background of the uprising and the distinction between rural and urban areas
- On the significance of the Syrian military in comparative perspective
- The security services as the locus of coercive power in Syria
- The dilution of the uprising by the tactics and behavior of rebel groups
- The illegitimacy of US, Turkey, and GCC countries`s call for democracy in Syria
- The regional and international context of the Syrian uprising
click below to watch the interview on C-Span
