| Arab Baath Movement | |
| Native Name: | حركة البعث العربي |
| Leader: | Michel Aflaq and Salah al-Din al-Bitar |
| Predecessor: | Party of National Brotherhood |
| Successor: | Baath Party |
| Newspaper: | Al-Tali'a |
| Ideology: | Baathism |
| Colors: | Black, Red, White and Green (Pan-Arab colors) |
| Native Name Lang: | ar |
| Country: | Syria |
The Arab Baath Movement (Arabic: حركة البعث العربي Ḥarakat al-Bath al-‘Arabī), also literally translated as Arab Resurrection Movement or Arab Renaissance Movement, was the Baathist political movement and predecessor of the Arab Socialist Baath Party.[1] The party was first named Arab Ihya Movement (Ḥarakat al-Iḥyā al-‘Arabī) literally translated as Arab Revitalization Movement, until 1943 when it adopted the name "Baath".[2] [3] It was founded in 1940 by Michel Aflaq.[4] [5] [6] Its founders, Aflaq and Bitar, were both associated with nationalism and socialism.[7]
The Movement was formed in 1940 as the Arab Ihya Movement by Syrian expatriate Michel Aflaq.
Shortly after being founded, the Movement became involved in anti-colonial Arab nationalist militant activities, including Aflaq founding the Syrian Committee to Help Iraq that was created in 1941 to support the anti-British and pro-Axis government of Iraq against the British during the Anglo-Iraqi War of 1941.[8] The Syrian Committee sent weapons and volunteers to fight alongside Iraqi forces against the British.[9]
Aflaq unsuccessfully ran as a candidate for the Syrian parliament in 1943.[10] After the Syrian election defeat, the Movement sought cooperation with other parties in elections in Syria, including the Arab Socialist Movement of Akram El-Hourani.[11]
The Party merged with Al-Arsuzi's Arab Baath Party in 1947, and al-Hawrani's Arab Socialist Movement later merged into the party in the 1950s to establish the Arab Socialist Baath Party.