regions , whichwould in turn have their own subdivisions 4 . There is also another perception that the French mandate gave a formal shape to divisions that had already existed in the Middle East . Due to the formalization of the divisions , the structure of international politics was and still is affected . Joseph Malone also supports the idea that the division of Syria into smaller states , with some exceptions , is rooted in history 5 .
Fabrice Balanche argues that this fragmentation caused inequality in terms of territorial advancement . Alawites are well integrated into political networks and Sunnis in economic networks . Alawite territories have the support of the state for their development , other territories must rely more on relations with economic networks to ensure their development . Since the Baath party has come to power , all social and political crises in Syria are rapidly drifting into the community . In addition to repression , the regime has tried to better regulate Muslim culture through the Ministry of Culture , and it has even given notable clergymen honorary places . Finally , the liberalization of the economy offers opportunities for the traders who are less tempted to support Islamist movements . More Sunnis are suffering from underemployment , high cost of living and widespread corruption 6 .
Additionally , the identity of small ethnic groups in Syria was used to serve the purpose of the colonizers . The French administrations have used this as an opportunity to introduce internal political changes within Syria . The most important one is the upward social mobility of the Alawite minority . This policy succeeded in establishing minority rule over the Sunni majority 7 . Building upon the concept of minority rule as a form of government , state-building practices in general and institutional development is considered within this analysis . Henceforth , the theory of neo-colonialism is applied to understand the current developments in Syria . With France as the former colonizer of the Syrian state , it has been expected to note an informal connection between the two states even decades after the abolishment of the French mandate .
4
Fomin Alexander , Voyna s prodoljeniyem . Velokobritaniyai i Frantsiya v borbe za “ Osmanskoye nasledstviye " 1918-1923 . [ A War with Continuation : Great Britain and French in Competition for “ Ottoman Heritage ”]. 1918-1923 , ( University of Dmitriy Pojarskiy . Moscow ), 2010 .
5
Bodman , Herbert L . and Joseph J . Malone , The Arab Lands of Western Asia , The American Historical Review 79 , no . 4 ( 1974 ), 1226 .
6
Balanche Fabrice , Clientélisme , Communautarisme Et Fragmentation Territoriale En Syrie , A contrario n ° 11 , no . 1 ( 2009 ), 122 .
7
Haklai Oded , A Minority Rule over a Hostile Majority : The Case of Syria , Nationalism and Ethnic Politics 6 , no . 3 ( 2000 ), 19 – 50 .
7