Part 5/14:
While often associated with anti-colonial struggles, Barism also incorporated elements from European fascist ideologies. Party founders like Zaki al-Asuzi openly admired Nazi racial theories, translating Mein Kampf into Arabic and espousing racial anti-Semitism, especially after the establishment of Israel in 1948. These dark influences demonstrated an authoritarian and xenophobic tendency within the movement, which often prioritized ethnicity over class or religion and sought a unified Arab nation by any means necessary.