Neoliberal economic policies as a root cause of forced migration from Arab Spring countries: the case of Syria

Abstract

This article illustrates the impact of neoliberal economic policies on forced migration from Arab Spring countries. It highlights how these policies, based on the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, significantly contributed to the outbreak of civil wars and subsequent refugee crises. The central argument of this analysis is that the economic reform programmes were a primary driver of the forced migration wave after 2010. Using Syria as a case study, the paper shows how the implementation of these programmes led to the erosion of the social contract that had previously ensured stability in Syria. This erosion was characterised by the marginalisation of rural areas and populations, the reduction of subsidies, and the economic and political marginalisation of the country's youth. The article calls on international financial institutions to take into consideration the nature of political regimes and the dynamics of authoritarianism to prevent turmoil, civil wars, and forced migration in the future.