Lebanon: The Historical Background

Lebanon was formed from five former Turkish (Ottoman) Empire districts and became an independent state on September 1, 1920. It was administered under the French mandate from 1920 to 1941, with French troops withdrawing fully in 1946 (World Almanac & Book of Facts, 2000). With a 70 percent Islamic majority and a 30 percent Christian minority, the 1943 National Covenant divided all public positions among the various religious communities. Initially Christians were the majority, but by the 1970s, Muslims had become the majority group and demanded a larger political and economic role (World Almanac & Book of Facts, 2000).

Among the independent states comprising the Arab world in the mid-twentieth century, Lebanon stood alone because of its Christian presidency, the high proportion of Muslims in its population, the Arab-Western cultural dualism, and its "confessional democracy" which allowed the commercial and rural upper class to control the state (Harris, l997). This combination of internal complexities made Lebanon a war theater ion the mid-1970s, in large measure because Lebanon was the pre-eminent meeting ground of Christendom and Islam in the Middle East, the refuge for all the radical movements of the region, and the chief cultural bridgehead of the West in the Arab world (Harris, 1997).

In 1958, U.S. Marines intervened during a Syrian-aided revolt against the Christian government. Continued raids against Israel between 1970 an

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and economic considerations (CIA, 2000). Ellis (1999) has commented that the re-establishment of constitutional authority in 1992 (facilitated by the presence of Syria, which has exerted and continues to exert enormous influence in the country) has allowed Lebanon to experience a slow and painful growth and recovery. However, in 1996, the recovery under the Ta'if Accord was interrupted when Israel attached a third time to prevent Hizbollah from raiding Israel (Ellis, 1999). Israel's actions suggest that Lebanon's government is somewhat weak and that Syria is the dominant influence in the country. Economic System The 1975 - 1991 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub (CIA, 2000). The advent of peace (however tenuous) has allowed the government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery has been helped by the development of a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-sized manufacturers. Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid as the main s

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