The conflict in Syria: a consequence of the "Arab Spring" or the "brainchild" of external actors?

On April, 6, 2021 the School of International Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University, together with the Russian Middle East Association within the framework of the permanent online seminar «Contemporary area studies», organized the meeting dedicated to the 10^th anniversary of Arab Spring with Igor Matveev, Senior Researcher of the CAIS of the Institute of Oriental Studies the Russian Academy of Sciences, RIAC expert, Acting State Councilor of the Russian Federation, 3rd class. The topic was: "The conflict in Syria: a consequence of the "Arab Spring" or the "brainchild" of external actors?»

The seminar was moderated by Sadygzade Murad, President of the Russian Middle East Association, Assistant Head of the School of International Regional Studies at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University. 

At the beginning of the meeting, all the participants and the speaker of the event were greeted by Dr. Vera Vishnyakova, Head of the School of International Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University. 

In the speech, Igor Matveev identified 4 groups of factors that led to the "Arab Spring" in Syria. According to the expert, it is possible to distinguish objective internal, objective international, subjective internal and subjective international factors. 

Describing the internal aspects of the Syrian "Arab Spring", Igor Matveev pointed to economic and social problems. Thus, the state is faced with a" low-level trap", when per capita indicators are quite low and, thus, cause an imbalance. Among the social aspects are the formation of a deeply divided society, the obsolescence of the meaning of social justice, as well as the unresolved Kurdish problem. 

Igor Matveev noted that the most powerful factor in the armed conflict in Syria was the process of globalization, which was manifested in the spread of social networks and Western values that displaced traditional ones. 

Speaking about objective international factors, it is also necessary to take into account the negative impact of the global economic crisis that occurred in 2008. 

Drawing attention to subjective international factors, Igor Matveev, first of all, pointed to the occupation of Iraq in 2003. For the Syrians, the scenario was not bad : they bought cheap Iraqi oil, and sold their own oil more expensive. Moreover, good trade relations were established between Iraq and Syria.

In addition to economic factors, the expert also pointed to a number of political aspects. In particular, the deterioration of relations between Syria and the United States, as well as the Lebanese crisis of 2005. 

All of the above reasons, according to Igor Matveev together  had an impact on the emergence of the armed conflict in Syria. As the speaker highlighted, the internal and external causes of the Syrian conflict are inseparable from each other and both categories played a role in unleashing the conflict. 

Igor Maveev answered all the participant’s questions. 

The link to the video: https://youtu.be/MQoKdHywa_Q