The Challenges of Human Development in Syria

Dr. Nabil Marzouk

Abstract

The strategy of giving up the policy of imports replacement on behalf of focusing on exports, has ended in failure regarding the needed development. It is clear now that self-dependant, inward-oriented development, which requires human resources evolving, is the most feasible in the developing countries.

Capitalist globalization would not fuse the world into a “universal village”. It would rather tailor a world to fit it; a world based on the free market with all powers concentrated in the hands of the capital. Integrating the developing countries in such a system would rob their markets and meagre savings and confiscate their decision-making freedom in building an alternative.

In 1990, the UNDP issued the “Human Development Report” whose definitions contained a large variety of economic, social, human and political indexes, which help us judge the progress realized in the field of economic development and then classify each country according to it. The indexes ranged from O to 1.

In 1997, this index in Syria was (0.663) ranking it 111 among 171 countries (earlier it had been 92), which is a low level even among Arab countries (Syria ranked 12 among 18 Arab Countries). And when coming to details, we discover that the human side of the index was the worst (Syria came 171 among 174 countries), while the economic side was 125 and the social one was 102.

Indicators show that the Syrian economy performance has been modest and even retreating during the last two decades esp. since 1986 when the former government launched the reforms. This has negatively affected the human development which has, in fact, been subject to the “market forces” and private initiatives. On the other hand, social indexes have shown similar deterioration (health care, education .. etc.). The low level in the human on the human side came as a result of the weak participation oh women (18.3% of the GDP), the lack of transparency and the shrinkage in social care expenses.

Among the obstacles impeding the human development is Syria, the lecturer mentioned the following:

- The absence of a comprehensive development strategy. This has been aggravated by a non-declared program of structural adjustment simultaneously implemented with an external as well as internal overture towards the market forces.

- Corruption and the narrow margin of democracy.

- The heavy burden of the foreign debts.

Human development is a decisive factor in preparing the country to face various challenges(globalization, WTO, and Partnerships, the information era technologies). This requires important steps within a comprehensive strategy: solve the unemployment problem, improve the education system, promote scientific research, revive the national culture, give self-confidence back to the society through more freedom and participation.

The commentary of Mr. J. Murad:

Economic growth is not enough by itself to realize the human development. In Syria, the latter is the essence of development planning, and many achievements were realized during the period (1970-1998): lower level of children’s death, higher percentage of literate people, higher education expenses, higher GDP per capita ..

The difference between these facts and the indexes provided by the lecturer happened because the latter depended on the UNDP report which is based on figures contradicting those of the official Syrian statistics. For example: the lecturer explained the Syrian retreat from 92 to 111 level according to the UNDP index as a result of the retreat in development steps, while in fact, this retreat happened because of an arithmetic defect in the UNDP report that used a too low equivalent for the purchasing power in 1997 compared with the previous years, which is not correct because such a power had been the same during the relevant period.

It is dangerous for decision makers to admit figures made abroad because such figures may be false.