Inheritance and Reconstruction in Post-Conflict Syria: An Economic Analysis

Introduction in the General Context:

The Syrian war, which lasted for over a decade, resulted in the displacement of millions of Syrians both internally and abroad, the destruction of infrastructure, the erosion of the legal system, and drastic demographic changes due to forced displacement or organized population transfers.

With the fall of the Assad regime and the beginning of the reconstruction phase, a complex inheritance crisis has emerged, particularly related to properties and housing. This crisis is shaped by interwoven social, legal, and economic factors that threaten societal stability and hinder economic recovery. The aggravating factors of this crisis can be examined from four main perspectives:

1. Collapse of the Legal System: Due to the destruction of official property ownership records in many areas, the loss of personal documents during displacement, and the absence of effective judicial institutions to resolve disputes—especially in regions that experienced competing military control.
2. Family Complexity and Deaths: The high number of deaths during the war has led to fragmented inheritance claims and overlapping demands, particularly in the absence of documents proving legal inheritance. Determining rightful heirs has become increasingly difficult as families have been dispersed across refugee-hosting countries.
3. Demographic Change and Informal Settlement: Instances of families or groups settling in abandoned properties have created disputes between original owners and new settlers. Some areas have also become arenas for identity-based conflicts, especially where sectarian compositions have been reshaped.
4. Black Market Economy and Speculation: The emergence of a black market in real estate, where properties are sold without legal documentation at very low prices, has fueled corruption and deepened inequality.

Effects and Solutions:

Last week, the Research and Studies Department of the Syrian Future Movement conducted a survey of fifty individuals, asking them about the issue of inheritance among families after liberation. The results were as follows: 65% said that inheritance would lead to family discord and considered it the greatest real obstacle to civil peace. However, 20% confirmed that they would not face any family-threatening issues due to inheritance, while 15% stated that they had no inheritance to disagree over.

Based on this survey, we observe that the complex issue of inheritance impacts three major areas:

1. Obstruction of Reconstruction: The lack of clarity regarding property rights deters both local and international investors from participating in reconstruction due to legal risks. Additionally, disputed properties become “dead capital,” unable to generate economic value.
2. Worsening Poverty and Instability: Property disputes turn into local conflicts that waste resources and hinder the provision of basic services. Moreover, part of the population relies on an informal economy to exploit properties (such as unregulated rentals), which weakens tax revenues.
3. Erosion of Trust in Institutions: Individuals resort to informal mechanisms (such as tribal systems or militias) to resolve disputes, further deepening the collapse of the rule of law.

Accordingly, we at the Economic Office of the Syrian Future Movement believe that the proposed solutions must be approached from an economic perspective, away from tribal, political, or religious biases. Therefore, through an objective reading, we see the solutions as follows:

1. Rebuilding the Digital Land Registry: Utilizing technology (such as blockchain) to document property ownership based on neighbors’ oral testimonies or old photographs, with support from specialized international organizations.
2. Specialized Courts for Dispute Resolution: Establishing fast-track judicial bodies focused on inheritance cases, with simplified procedures and protections for witnesses and heirs.
3. Compensatory Ownership Programs: Issuing alternative ownership deeds to new settlers in specific areas, while compensating original owners either financially or in kind, funded by international reconstruction funds.
4. Encouraging Investment through Public-Private Partnerships: Converting disputed properties into housing or service projects managed through partnerships that ensure the rights of all parties.
5. Integrating Gender into Solutions: Ensuring women receive their rightful inheritance—often neglected due to social norms—which promotes justice and supports the economic empowerment of families.

However, these solutions will not be without anticipated challenges, which we call to address, such as:

1. Corruption and Institutional Weakness: Property registration processes may be exploited in favor of ruling elites or controlling militias.
2. Conditional International Funding: Reconstruction solutions may be tied to foreign political agendas.
3. Wounded Collective Memory: Achieving social reconciliation remains difficult amid ongoing divisions caused by the war.

Conclusion:

The inheritance crisis in Syria cannot be separated from the broader context of the absence of transitional justice and the collapse of the social contract.

Therefore, resolving this crisis requires an economic and legal model that combines technical efficiency with cultural sensitivity, redefining property rights as a tool for achieving economic and social stability—not as a source of conflict.

Without this, Syrian properties will remain fertile ground for chaos, hindering the birth of a new Syria capable of rising from the ashes of war.

Economic Office

Research Team

Research and Studies Department

Article

Syrian Future Movement