Political Opposition Against the French Rule in Mandate Syria: 1920-1946

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Political Opposition Against the French Rule in Mandate Syria: 1920-1946 POLITICAL OPPOSITION AGAINST THE FRENCH RULE IN MANDATE SYRIA: 1920-1946 A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY HANİFE USLU IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN THE PROGRAM OF MIDDLE EAST STUDIES JANUARY 2020 iii iv Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Yaşar Kondakçı Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Masters of Arts. Assist. Prof. Dr. Derya Göçer Akder Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Masters of Arts. Prof. Dr. Özlem Tür Supervisor Examining Committee Members Prof. Dr. Recep Boztemur (METU, HIST) Prof. Dr. Özlem Tür (METU, IR) Doç. Dr. Mustafa Serdar Palabıyık (TOBB ETU, IR) v vi PLAGIARISM I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last Name : Hanife Uslu Signature : iii ABSTRACT POLITICAL OPPOSITION AGAINST THE FRENCH RULE IN MANDATE IN SYRIA: 1920-1946 Uslu, Hanife M.S., Graduate Program of Middle East Studies Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Özlem Tür January 2020, 151 pages In this thesis, the French mandate period in Syria and the nationalist movement against the mandate between 1920-1946 is analyzed. This thesis aims to show that the main characteristic of the Syrian political developments - political parties as representation of Arab nationalism and contribution after the development of Arab nationalism and also show that the changes and continuities in politics of notables in Syrian political development. This thesis argument that political parties as the main organization through which the resistance the French rule has been institutionalized and materialized. The thesis assumption is that political parties are the key to understand the political system in a country and then through the thesis examine political parties as the most crucial element of the political system in Syria. The thesis emphasized that the French mandate system has left legacy in Syria and underline that political parties were - while creating – not always a coherent voice but emphasize on national political and independence and issue of sovereignity and unity against the colonial power – iv anti imperialism. In all, this thesis conclude that the continuities and the political transformation from the Ottoman period to the mandate in terms of urban classes, ideologies –Arabism and Arab nationalism- and political institutionalization show the revolutionary period for Syria. Keyword: French Mandate in Syria, Political Organization-Parties, ResistanceNationalist Movement, Legacy, Institutionalization v ÖZ SURİYE‟DE FRANSIZ MANDA YÖNETİMİNE KARŞI SİYASİ MÜCADELE: 1920-1946 Uslu, Hanife Yüksek Lisans, Orta Doğu Araştırmaları Programı Tez Yöneticisi: Prof. Dr. Özlem Tür Ocak 2020, 151 sayfa Bu çalışma 1920-1946 arasında Suriye‟de Fransız manda yönetimine karşı milliyetçi hareketleri analiz etmektedir. Çalışma, Arap Milliyetçiliğinin gelişiminden sonraki katkısı ve Arap Milliyetçiliğinin temsilcisi olarak siyasi partileri, Suriye siyasi gelişiminin temel karakteristiğini göstermektedir ve çalışma Suriye siyasi gelişiminde siyasi ileri gelenlerde ki değişiklikler ve süreklilikleri de göstermektedir. Bu tezin temel argümanı; Fransız manda yönetimine karşı mücadele boyunca müesseseleşme ve yapıların oluşumunda siyasi partiler temel örgütlenme aracıdır. Bu tezin varsayımı; bir ülkede ki siyasi sistemi anlamanın temel anahtarı siyasi örgütlenmelerdir ve bu nedenle çalışma boyunca Suriye‟de siyasi sistemdeki en önemli etken olarak siyasi örgütlenmeler incelenmiştir. Fransız manda yönetiminin Suriye‟de bıraktığı kalıtım-miras vurgulanmakta ve siyasal örgütlenmelerin oluşumlarında her zaman tutarlı bir söylem yaratmadıklarının altı çizilmekte ve fakat milli, siyasal, bağımsızlık ve vi egemenlik meselesinde emperyalizm ve kolonyal güçlere karşı dayanışma gösterdiklerinin altı çizilmektedir. Kısacası, Osmanlı idaresinden Fransız yönetimine süreklilik ve siyasi dönüşümler şehirli ileri gelenler, düşünce yapısı – Arapçılık, Arap Milliyetçiliği – ve siyasi müesseseler Suriye‟de devrimsel nitelikte bir süreci gösterir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Suriye‟de Fransız yönetimi, Siyasi Örgütlenmeler-Partiler, Mücadele-Milli Hareketler, Kalıtım, Müesseseleşme vii To My Family viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The researcher wishes to express her deepest gratitude to her supervisor Prof. Dr. Özlem Tür for her guidance, advice, criticism, encouragements and insight throughout her research. Her guidance helped me in all the time of research and writing of thesis. This thesis would never have been completed without her contributions. The suggestions and comments of Prof. Dr. Recep Boztemur are also gratefully acknowledged together with his valuable supports during the researcher‟s undergraduate and graduate education. The researcher also wishes to express her gratitude to Doç. Dr. Mustafa Serdar Palabıyık for his participation in the examining committee of this thesis and for the acedemic guidance, suggestions and contributions to the thesis. The researcher greatly appreaciate his valuable comments and patience in listening about the researcher‟s proceedings in his thesis. Of Course, the researcher could not forget the support of her friends and wishes to thank all of them for their valuable friendship. Without their encouragements and moral support, everything would be more difficult. Finally, the researcher would like to express her most sincere gratitude to her mother; Fatma Uslu, father; Kamil Uslu, and brother; Ergün Uslu. She owes her success to their eternal love and patience. They are proud of her as well as she is proud of them. I hope the dedication of this thesis to her her family could express her gratitude towards them. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM ..................................................................................................... iii ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................... iv ÖZ ........................................................................................................................ vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1 2. HISTORICAL SETTING ............................................................................... 12 2.1. Syria From The Ottoman Empire To The French Mandate ..................... 12 2.2. Emergence of Arab Nationalism in Syria: The Christian Arabs and Islamic Modernists ............................................................................ 15 2.3. The Arab Provinces and The First World War: 1876-1914 ..................... 21 2.4. The First World War 1914-1918 .............................................................. 29 2.5. The Ascending and Downfall: The Period of Faisal‟s Kingdom in Syria: 1918-1920 ...................................................................................... 32 3. THE FRENCH MANDATE PERIOD IN SYRIA: DIVIDE AND RULE POLICY ............................................................................................... 36 3.1. Determinants of France‟s Policy in the Levant ........................................ 39 3.2. Partition of Syria: Emergence of a Weak State ........................................ 42 3.3. Partitioning of Syria ................................................................................. 44 3.4. Political Institutions Formed by the French Mandate: The Institution x of the High Commission........................................................................... 48 3.5. The Bureaucracy ....................................................................................... 55 3.6. Army: An Alawite Organization? ............................................................ 62 3.7. Social Institutions ..................................................................................... 64 4. 1920-1936: THE FRENCH MANDATE POLICY AND POLITICAL FORMATION IN SYRIA ........................................................ 67 4.1. I. 1920-1927: Resistance to the French Occupation ................................. 68 4.2. Motives and Actors of Early Resistance .................................................. 70 4.3. Keeping the Revolt Alive: The Role of Merchants .................................. 74 4.4. The role of Landowners ........................................................................... 77 4.5. The Role of Peasants ................................................................................ 78 4.6. II. Determinants of the Syrian Political Developments: the People‟s Party, the Syrian Union Party and the National Bloc ............................... 80 4.6.1. The People‟s Party and Its Impact ..................................................... 80 4.6.2. Pro-French Party: The Syrian Union Party and Its Impact ............... 82 4.6.3. The National Bloc (The Kutlah) and Its Impact ................................ 83 4.6.3.1.
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