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The Rise and Fall of Barism: An Exploration of Arab Nationalist Ideology and Its Legacy

The Collapse of the Last Bastion of Arab Autocracy

On December 8, 2024, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled Damascus for Russia amid advancing rebel forces, marking the end of a 54-year dynasty and the collapse of what was once the last remaining authoritarian regime rooted in the ideology of Barism. This moment defined a dramatic in-depth decline: from the height of regional power and ideological fervor to a landscape scarred by devastation, war, and disillusionment. Today, the ideological remnants of Barism are nearly extinct, with the once-powerful Baath Party reduced to a single parliamentary seat in Lebanon, potentially the last elected representative worldwide.