Economists, Role and Importance

Initialization:

Economists are experts who specialize in studying and analyzing economic systems and how resources are distributed and used within societies. They examine business activities, trade, government policies, and factors that affect economic growth, inflation, and unemployment, with the goal of understanding how the economy works and achieving stability and sustainable growth.
Due to human scientific development, there is a scientific discipline for economists known as economics, with which students can study this field in universities and colleges and obtain bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in economics.

This specialization includes many branches such as:

1. Macroeconomicsis the study of the economy at a national or international level, including economic growth, inflation, unemployment, and monetary and fiscal policies.
2. Microeconomicsis the study of the economic behavior of individuals, firms, and markets, and how prices are set and resources are allocated.
3. Applied economics, which is the use of economic theories to analyze real-world issues and provide solutions.
4. International economics, meaning the study of trade and investment between countries.
5. Environmental economicsis the study of the impact of economic activities on the environment and how to achieve sustainable development.

Economists can be very influential:

1. Policy analysis, providing analysis and recommendations on government policies related to taxation, spending, trade, and labor.
2. Economic planning, working in ministries and government organizations to develop national economic plans and long-term strategies.
3. Research and studies, by publishing academic papers and reports that influence economic decision-making and public policies.
4. Advising governments and companies on economic and investment decisions.
5. Education and awareness, by teaching students and the public about economic concepts and the importance of economic sustainability.

It would be remiss not to mention famous economists who have greatly influenced economic thought and government policies, such as Adam Smith, John Maynard Keynes, and Milton Friedman. In the hope that Syrian economists will emerge and succeed in moving the country from decline to recovery.

Role and effectiveness:

Through the above, it appears that economists have a pivotal role in developing the country’s economy through a variety of activities and analyses that contribute to improving economic performance and guiding economic policies, and we see the most important of these key roles that economists play in developing the economy:

1. Economic analysis: Economists analyze economic data to understand economic trends and patterns. Economic analysis helps identify economic issues and opportunities, enabling decision makers to make informed decisions.
2. Economic policymaking: Economists formulate economic policies that aim to achieve economic growth and financial stability. Good policies promote economic growth, reduce unemployment, and control inflation.
3. Economic planning: Economists are involved in the development of national and regional economic plans. Economic planning helps coordinate efforts to achieve sustainable development and efficiently allocate resources.
4. Economic consulting: Economists advise governments, companies, and organizations on economic issues. This economic advice can help improve the performance of companies and direct investments towards the most profitable sectors.
5. Education and awareness-raising: Economists educate and sensitize individuals about economic concepts and the importance of sound financial management, which increases public awareness of economic issues and contributes to building a society that is more capable of making good financial and economic decisions.
6. Research and studies: Economists conduct research and studies to analyze complex economic issues and propose solutions. This research contributes to the development of economic theories and provides practical solutions to economic issues.
7. Evaluation and follow-up: Economists evaluate the effectiveness of economic policies and follow up on their implementation, which helps improve future policies and ensure that the desired economic goals are achieved.

Economists are an essential part of a country’s economic development process. Through analysis, planning, guidance, and education, they can contribute to economic growth and stability, which reflects positively on the level of economic well-being of citizens.
As for the role of economists in Syria, it can be claimed that it is a crucial role in developing and improving the economy in Syria, especially in light of the great challenges facing the country, so we believe that the main roles of economists in Syria are to analyze and evaluate economic policies and assess their impact on the national economy, in addition to formulating economic development plans and setting investment priorities, in addition to providing consultations and analysis that support decision makers in the new Syrian government, which contributes to making informed decisions based on data and evidence.

Perhaps the most important role for Syrian economists is their ability to improve the business environment and attract foreign investment. The development of policies and programs aimed at reducing poverty and unemployment, which contributes to improving the standard of living and providing job opportunities for the youth and the unemployed.

For all of the above, the importance of Syrian economists in the post-liberation phase is highlighted by the following:

1. Reconstruction: The role of economists is crucial in strategizing the reconstruction of infrastructure and the economy.
2. Stabilization: Economic policy analysis helps to stabilize economic and social stability after a crisis.
3. Achieving sustainable development: Economic planning contributes to achieving sustainable development and building a strong and diversified economy.

It can be said that economists are the key to success in developing Syria’s economy and achieving stability and development.
By analyzing data, providing advice, and developing economic policies, they can contribute significantly to building a bright and sustainable future for the country.

Challenges and solutions:

Economists generally face a range of complex challenges that require innovative solutions and rigorous analysis:

1. Global economic fluctuations, such as financial crises and changes in oil and commodity prices.
2. Technology and innovation, in other words: Rapid technological development, which poses a challenge in keeping up with innovations and changes in the labor market, so economists must work to analyze the impact of technology on the economy and guide policies to achieve its benefits.
3. Demographic changes, such as aging and declining birth rates, affect economic growth, requiring the development of strategies to address the effects of these changes on the labor force and the economy.
4. Environmental challenges, such as climate change and environmental pollution that require sustainable solutions.
5. Inequality and povertypose a major challenge to social justice and development, making it imperative for economists to develop policies that promote economic justice and reduce poverty.

This is in general, but in particular, we find that there are challenges facing Syrian economists that may be unique, requiring redoubled efforts to overcome them, especially after years of conflict and economic deterioration:

1. Reconstruction, as the destruction of infrastructure requires comprehensive plans to rebuild cities and facilities.
2. Dealing with economic sanctions, which pose a major challenge to obtaining funding and investments, Syrian economists must develop solutions to overcome the effects of sanctions and improve international economic relations.
3. Strengthening the business environment to attract investments and support the private sector.
4. Dealing with displacement and refugees, both internal and external displacement, is a major challenge in achieving economic and social development.
5. The role of economists in facing economic challenges and providing solutions to achieve stability and growth.

For Syria, economists are increasingly important in developing strategies for reconstruction, dealing with sanctions, enhancing the business environment, and achieving sustainable development, such as promoting political stability, encouraging foreign and local investments by providing a stable and transparent legislative environment, providing financial and incentive support to small and medium-sized enterprises, improving the legislative environment to achieve stability and transparency, making Syria attractive to foreign and local investments, and building cooperative relationships with foreign countries and international organizations to obtain financial and technical support.

Cons and danger:

There are certainly some potential negatives that can counteract the positive role of economists, and some of these negatives:

1. Economists may be influenced by their personal or political biases, which leads to subjective economic policies. This can be avoided by promoting transparency and professional ethics, and adopting evidence- and data-driven approaches.
2. Focusing on short-term goals at the expense of long-term goals, which necessitates strengthening strategic planning and considering the long-term impact of policies to achieve sustainable development.
3. Challenges in economic forecasting due to unpredictable changes in markets and external factors, economists must periodically update their models and use a variety of scenarios to analyze the data.
4. The impact of political pressure to make recommendations that align with the interests of governments or actors.
5. Lack of effective communication between economists and the public,which leads to misunderstanding of economic policies. However, communication can be improved by simplifying economic language and providing simplified explanations to the public.
6. The impact of globalization can further complicate economic challenges and exacerbate economic gaps between countries.

Avoiding the negatives requires enhancing transparency, independence, strategic planning, and improved communication with the public.

By focusing on these aspects, we believe that economists can effectively contribute to sustainable development and economic stability.

Conclusion:

At Syrian Future Movement, we have taken on the responsibility of empowering the positive role of economists in Syria to achieve economic advancement and overcome the economic decline, and for this we are working to achieve a set of comprehensive measures and integrated strategies.

We also recommend some steps to contribute to this empowerment, the most important of which are:

1. Enhancing education and trainingby providing advanced education and training programs for economics students and specialists in economic fields, which helps develop the skills and knowledge needed for economists to deal with complex economic challenges and provide innovative solutions.
2. Supporting scientific research and funding economic research that examines current economic issues and provides evidence-based solutions. This, in our opinion, contributes to providing a strong knowledge base that can be relied upon in making economic decisions and achieving sustainable development.
3. Strengthening international cooperation with international economic institutions and leading universities to benefit from global expertise and knowledge to support economic advancement.
   Establishing economic research centers specialized in analyzing and evaluating economic policies and providing consultations to the government and companies, which enhances the provision of comprehensive and accurate analytical insights that help in making informed decisions.
4. Promote transparency, accountability and transparency in economic work and government policies to ensure that policies are implemented correctly and effectively.
5. Encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship by providing financial and technical support to startups and entrepreneurs to promote innovation and technology in the Syrian economy, which contributes to creating new job opportunities and achieving sustainable economic growth.
6. Improving the legislative and regulatory business environment to attract foreign and local investments and promote economic growth.
7. Develop strategies to reconstruct infrastructure and vital sectors affected by the conflict, thereby contributing to promoting economic growth and restoring normal life in the affected areas.

Finally, it can be said that empowering the positive role of economists in Syria is a present and future necessity for Syria to achieve economic advancement and end the era of economic decline in Syria, which has become the most important goal after the liberation of Syria from tyranny.

Presidential Office
Dr. Dr. Zahir Badrani
Article
Syrian Future Movement