Arab socialism is a political ideology based on a mixture of pan-Arabism and socialism. The theory of Arab socialism was developed by Ba'ath Party leader Michel Aflaq, who differed it from the international socialist movement. He claimed that Arab nationalism and socialism were the same, and that nationalism and socialism were neither incompatible nor enemies. The ideology was socialist in that it opposed imperialism, opposed the ruling classes, and fought for social justice, and Aflaq wanted socialism to serve Arab nationalism. Therefore, it bore very little resemblance to Marxism, as socialism was meant to modernize Arab society, not to end the exploitation of the masses or to overthrow the bourgeoisie through class struggle.