Khalid al-Azm’s Followers (2)

Khalid al-Azm

Born

in Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic

November 06, 1903

Died

November 18, 1965

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Syrian national leader and six-time Prime Minister, as well as Acting President. He was a member of one of the most prominent political families in Syria, al-Azm (also known as Alazem or Al Azem). His father, Muhammed Fawzi Pasha al-Azm, was an Arab Parliament member in the Ottoman Empire, a Minister of Religious Endowments (1912), and one of King Faisal closest confederate during years of the Arab Government.
Growing up mostly in Damascus, He studied Law in the Syrian Law School in Damascus. He did not seem to have any political goals but rather pursuing a career as an industrialist. In 1927 he co-founded the first Chamber of Agriculture in Damascus, and was selected to the Damascus Municipality Council.
Entering the political arena in 1939, Syrian national leader and six-time Prime Minister, as well as Acting President. He was a member of one of the most prominent political families in Syria, al-Azm (also known as Alazem or Al Azem). His father, Muhammed Fawzi Pasha al-Azm, was an Arab Parliament member in the Ottoman Empire, a Minister of Religious Endowments (1912), and one of King Faisal closest confederate during years of the Arab Government.
Growing up mostly in Damascus, He studied Law in the Syrian Law School in Damascus. He did not seem to have any political goals but rather pursuing a career as an industrialist. In 1927 he co-founded the first Chamber of Agriculture in Damascus, and was selected to the Damascus Municipality Council.
Entering the political arena in 1939, he was appointed Minister of Justice, and Foreign Minister, [PM: Nassoh Bukhari]. A cabinet that didn't last more than 94 days.
In 1941 the French appointed him Prime Minister and Acting President, having had no success in finding a viable candidate since the resignation of the nationalist Atassi in 1939. However he was replaced 5 months later with a French loyalist, Taj al-Din al-Hasani. Azm served repeatedly in parliament and in the cabinet from 1943 to 1947. In May 1948, Azm agreed to form a multi-party cabinet under Kuwatli which served until March 1949. He allied himself with France and the United States and attempted to obtain loans from them for domestic development. Azm clashed with members of the military, especially Chief of Staff Husni al-Za'im. The latter launched a Coup d'état on March 29, 1949 and imprisoned both Azm and president Kuwatli. When Za'im was overthrown five months later, Azm returned to parliament as deputy for Damascus and became minister of finance. He was also elected into the Constituent Assembly that drafted a new constitution for Syria. He became Prime Minister again under Hashim al-Atassi's second administration, in June 1950, heading three cabinets between then and 1951. He also clashed repeatedly with the military because he refused to appoint officers in any of his cabinets, and always reserved the defense portfolio for himself. He also clashed with pro-Hashemite elements in Syrian politics that advocated union with Iraq. Socialists distrusted him because of his aristocratic and wealthy Ottoman background. After the deposition of Shishakli, Azm again lost to Kuwatli in the presidential election of 1955. He retired briefly, then reemerged in November 1956 to enter the cabinet of Prime Minister Sabri al-Assali as minister of defense. Azm played a key role in achieving an alliance with the USSR, and traveled there repeatedly to arrange loans, economic pacts and arm sales, angering the United States, where he was nicknamed the "Red Millionaire".
He opposed in vain the union with Egypt in 1958 which created the United Arab Republic, arguing that Nasser would destroy Syria's democratic system and free market economy. Azm deserted political life during the Union years (1958-1961), and moved to Lebanon. When the union was dissolved he returned to Syria, helped draft the secessionist document himself, and tried to run for presidential office but his candidacy was thwarted by the military. On March 28, 1962, yet another coup toppled the civilian administration, and Kudsi and Azm were both imprisoned. On April 2 a counter coup released them, and Azm became Prime Minister again under Kudsi. The two men allied with former president Kuwatli to rid the army of pro-Nasserist elements, and reverse the austere program of nationalization instituted by Nasser when he was head of the UAR. Before this could be achieved, the socialist Ba'ath Party came to power in Syria in March 1963 and both Azm and Qudsi fled into exile. Azm relocated permanently to Beirut, where he lived in difficult financial circumstances, his vast Syrian holdings having been appropriated by the Baathists. There he died and was buried on February 18, 1965. His memoirs were published posthumously in ...more

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Mudhakkarat Khalid al-Azm

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Quotes by Khalid al-Azm (?)

“We have brought destruction upon a million Arab refugees, by calling upon them and pleading with them to leave their lands, their homes, their work and their business, and we have caused them to be barren and unemployed though each one of them had been working and qualified in a trade from which he could make a living.”
― Khalid al-Azm, Mudhakkarat Khalid al-Azm

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Khalid al-Azm’s Followers (2)

Khalid al-Azm

Combine EditionsKhalid al-Azm’s books

Combine Editions
Khalid al-Azm’s books