Economic reform For much of Mr Assad's 30 years in power, Syria was run as a centralised command economy on a socialist model. A severe recession at the end of the 1980s drove the government to pass a law in 1991 to encourage foreign and Syrian expatriate investment. Bashar al-Assad is expected to represent continuity and stability Tax relief for investors and freedom from Syria's mysterious foreign exchange laws immediately boosted the economy. This resulted in a dramatic increase in the standard of living of most Syrians, who for the first time had wide access to western consumer products such as cars and televisions. Towards the end of the 1990s, this progress all but ground to a halt.
Analysts blame the fact that the banking sector was never reformed or privatised.
The government was also deeply anxious about the political difficulties experienced by neighbours pursuing liberalisation programmes - Jordanians have repeatedly rioted at the lifting of price controls. Anti-corruption campaign Also jeopardising economic reform has been Syria's endemic corruption. Significantly, Bashar was also put at the head of the anti-corruption drive. Some prominent figures have been disgraced, including long-serving prime minister Mahmoud Zohbi who has committed suicide. The government is also fighting deeply rooted vested interests within the ruling elite - the fact remains that to be a successful in business in Syria you need to be related or well connected to a senior figure in the army or government.