"His original and subtle study of Syrian state-business relations in the last two decades offers important insights that . . . challenge the narrow definition of what constitutes the political elite . . . The book's analysis is developed through an eclectic blend of network analysis, rational choice approaches to institutions and trust, and theories of the role of states in late development. Notably, Haddad's approach identifies networks as the mechanism that combines agency and structural factors. Thus, it is a mesolevel analysis allowing us to consider attributes of actors as well as the nature of the relationships between actors."—Arang Keshavarzian, Arab Studies Journal Review "Based on his extraordinarily deep knowledge of Syrian society and business practices, Haddad describes at length how these informal networks molded economic institutions to preserve their own interests. . . A significant, timely analysis. Summing Up: Highly recommended."—P. Clawson, CHOICE "Bassam Haddad has produced a path-breaking study of Syria's political economy. With unequalled access to first hand sources, his work highlights the underlying political logics that have shaped Syria's economy since the rise of the Baath Party to power half a century ago. He gives us unique insight into the relationships and connections around which the Syrian economy is organized and underscores the economic price that Syrians have paid as development strategies were subordinated to the demands of regime survival."—Steven Heydemann, U.S. Institute of Peace "A courageous and sophisticated account of the role of Syria's crony capitalist networks in the process of partial privatization after 1986. Revealed for the first time are the key relationships which define Syria's economic performance over the last two and a half decades. This book could only have been written by someone with insider knowledge of Syria."—Roger Owen, Harvard University