Syria's economic history has been turbulent, and has deteriorated considerably since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War. The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party came to power in 1963, and adopted socialist policies involving nationalizations and land reform. After General Hafez al-Assad took power in 1970, restrictions on private enterprise were relaxed, though a substantial part of the economy was still under government control. By the 1980s, Syria was politically and economically isolated, and in the midst of a deep economic crisis. Real per capita GDP fell 22% between 1982 and 1989. In 1990, the Assad government instituted a series of economic reforms, although the economy remained highly regulated. The Syrian economy experienced strong growth throughout the 1990s, and into the 2000s. Syria'