Michel Aflaq
The Arab Baath Movement ( "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. 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". It was founded in 1940 by Michel Aflaq. Its founders, Aflaq and Bitar were both associated with nationalism and socialism.