Loading ...France’s Past Occupation of Syria
By: Fedal Hanoun / Arab America Contributing Writer
An important chapter in the history of Syria was the French rule there, from 1920 until 1946. Approved formally under the League of Nations Mandate system, France seized Syria and Lebanon after the Ottoman Empire fell apart following World War One. Though assertions of promoting stability and modernization abound, the occupation severely damaged Syria’s political, social, and economic systems, many of which are still felt today.
Historical Situation
The Middle East changed dramatically at the end of World War I as colonial nations tried to divide former Ottoman territory. Under the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement, a deal between Britain and France that split most of the Ottoman Middle East into spheres of influence, Syria came under the French Mandate Following France’s defeat of the brief Arab Kingdom of Syria in the Battle of Maysalun, the Mandate formally started in 1920. Although France defended its presence as a means toward Syrian independence, the reality was much more self-serving since the mandate let France control Syria’s government, resources, and economy.
Economic Profit-seeking
France’s economic policies in Syria were essentially meant to serve its own interests, profite from Syria’s resources, and overlook the creation of a self-sufficient Syrian economy. Particularly cotton and grain, agricultural output was given top priority to meet French needs; Syrian farmers were left dependent on export-oriented markets instead of local sustenance. France also dominated sectors such trade, transportation, and banking to guarantee that earnings returned to French investors instead of being put into the Syrian economy.
Though praised as modernizing initiatives, infrastructure projects were sometimes carried out with more eye toward French geopolitical objectives than Syrian requirements. For example, rather than encouraging internal connectivity, railroads were built mostly to link places wealthy in resources to ports for export. This resulted in major economic differences between rural areas and metropolitan areas such as Damascus and Aleppo, hence aggravating social inequality.
The populace was already burdened much by high taxes. Taxes paid by Syrians helped to support the French government, which was sometimes viewed as an occupying force rather than a sovereign government. Economic complaints stoked general discontent and opposition, therefore undercutting any assertions that the mandate was preparing Syria for independence.
Social Division
French actions in Syria also had significant social ramifications, many of which bred conflict inside Syrian society. Using a traditional “divide and rule” tactic, the French heightened already-existing religious, ethnic, and regional divisions in order to undermine opposition to their control. They established separate administrative areas such the Alawite State and the Jabal Druze State, therefore giving minority communities like the Alawites and Druze more autonomy. Although this gave some groups political empowerment, it also caused resentment among the majority of Sunni Muslims who saw these divides as an attempt to compromise national unity.
Policies on culture and education helped to accentuate this dispersion. The French established French-language schools and gave their language and culture top priority over the growth of a cohesive Syrian national identity, therefore promoting their superiority. Particularly in rural areas with limited access to education and felt exclusion from the rising elite class cultivated by French institutions, this alienated most of the population.
As cities like Damascus and Aleppo developed sites of political activity and resistance, the urban-rural gap grew more pronounced while rural areas stayed economically deprived. Economic exploitation, social fragmentation, and political repression combined to produce a volatile environment that regularly erupted in upheavals like the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925–1927, which united many factions in a broad, though finally ineffective, rebellion against French control.
Political Consequences
Politically, the French mandate was distinguished by autocratic government and low Syrian involvement in decision-making procedures. Although France instituted certain administrative changes, these were meant to strengthen its hold rather than empower regional authorities. With great authority, the French High Commissioner basically sidelined Syrian politicians and hampered the growth of democratic institutions.
Still, under the mandate, Syrian nationalism developed in force. Political leaders, intellectuals, and activists started outlining a vision of independence anchored in a shared Arab identity and opposition to colonialism. Prominent supporters of self-rule, groups like the National Bloc negotiated with the French for more autonomy and raised public support for independence by means of their actions.
The resistance of France to give up power heightened conflicts. Citing World War II as justification, the French delayed the execution of a pact in 1936 that promised ultimate freedom. France only withdrew its forces, therefore granted Syria official independence, following increasing pressure from Syrian nationalists and the larger world community in 1946.
Long-Term Impacts
For Syria, the legacy of French rule is still felt now. Economically, resource exploitation and infrastructure neglect left the nation with a precarious basis for post-independence growth. Socially, the differences created by French policy still shaped Syrian politics, hence fueling regional inequalities and sectarian conflict. Politically, the mandate period strengthened authoritarian policies that have endured in Syrian government even while it helped foster nationalist movements.
The Syrians’ ingrained fear of foreign involvement is maybe the most long-lasting effect of the French rule. Colonialism produced a strong feeling of national pride and opposition to outside control, which has impacted Syria’s foreign policy and internal dynamics in the decades after independence.
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