Editing Ba'ath Party (section)

===="Unity, Freedom, Socialism"====
{{Main|Waḥda, Ḥurriyya, Ishtirākiyya}}
The slogan "[[Waḥda, Ḥurriyya, Ishtirākiyya|Unity, Freedom, Socialism]]" is the key tenet in Ba'athist thought.{{sfn|Salem|1994|p=62}} Unity stood for the creation of an independent, strong Arab Nation.{{sfn|Salem|1994|p=65-66}} [[Liberty]] did not mean [[liberal democracy]], but rather freedom from colonial oppression and [[freedom of speech]] and [[freedom of thought|thought]].{{sfn|Salem|1994|pp=66–68}} Aflaq believed that the Ba'ath Party, at least in theory, would rule, and guide the people, in a transitional period of time without consulting the people,{{sfn|Salem|1994|pp=67–68]}} however he did support intra-party democracy.{{sfn|Salem|1994|p=67}} The last tenet, 'socialism', did not mean socialism as defined in the West, but rather a unique form of [[Arab socialism]].{{sfn|Salem|1994|pp=69–70}} According to Ba'athist thought, socialism had originated under the rule of the Prophet [[Muhammad]].{{sfn|Salem|1994|pp=69–70}} The original interpretation of Arab socialism did not answer questions regarding economic equality or how much [[State socialism|state control]] was necessary, but instead focused on freeing the Arab Nation and its people from colonization and oppression in general.{{sfn|Salem|1994|pp=69–70}}