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National Library 8ibliothèque nationale I*I of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une Licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distriiute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or eiectronic formats. la forme de microfichelfilm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts kom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othemise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation, Canada THE DISSOLUTION OF THE STATE OF LEBANON 1860-1975 Michael M. Deeb Department of History Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Facule of Graduate Studies The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario February 2000 @IichaelM. Deeb -2000 ABSTRACT An extensive amount of literature has been written on the topic of Lebanon exarnining the reasons for the collapse of the state. Research has focused on religous tension, class conflict, colonialism and the role of foreign powers including the Palestinians. Much of the information has dealt with the specific role each one of tliese factors played in the demise of the state. Since the inception of an autonomous Moiint Lebanon in 1860 by the Ottoman Empire. iintil the collapse of the state in 1975, the relationship behveen the various sects has always been very tenuous. Of course. the issues cited above Iiad something to do with this volatility but the ovemding factor which divided the Lebanese and brouglit the state to its dissolution in 1975 was the confessional political system it was based tipon. The purpose of this thesis is to examine how confessionalisrn created a narrow framework which prevented the state from handling serious challenges to social and economic refom. the Palestinian presence and the desire for underdeveloped areas and communities to obtain more power. With the establishment of confessionalism~ three trends emerged which dictated the social, economic and political entironment of the country from 1860 to 1975. The way in which the inhabitants identified themselves. dernogaphy and local power smiggles were the three bi-products of the III confessional system. Every other issue that was evident in the Lebanese conflict was a direct or indirect result of confessiona~ism. Direct representation was unable to t.Ae mot in Lebanon as the political elites maneiivered themselves into positions of power ensuring their permanency. It is extremely dificult to classi- the Lebanese conflict as the issues involved toucli so many different areas of economic. social and political ti~story. However? the one element whicli remained the constant historical tradition of the Lebanese state was the confessional system. Every sect der-ived its power frorn confessionalism, al1 of the decisions were based around sectarianism. and the decay of the state took place because of its confessional nature. Even afier the 1975- 1997 Lebanon war subsided. the political dites returned to the systein tliey new best to form a new begnning- confessionalism. 1 would like to thank the following people for making this study on the Dissolution of the State of Lebanon possible. Dr. Clovis Maksoud of the Arnencan University in Washington, DC for introducing me to the fascinating co~iiplesitiesof Lebanese liistory. The staff at the D.B.Weldon Library for their patience and professional service. The staff at the Robarts Library for their kind lielp. Celeste George and Danielle Desjardins for their editing. My adwsor. Dr. Maya Shatzrniller. for her direction? guidance and supervision withoiit whom this study woiild not have been made possible. And finally rny Motlier. who proçlded me with the inspiration to cornplete this project despite the many obstacles it faced. LIST OF APPENDICIES APPENDIX I Villages, Towns, Cities and Areas Related to the Nineteenth Century Mount Lebanon Conflict ...........................................................1 10 APPENDIX II Regulation for the Administration of Lebanon 7he .\l~rrusarrifivva.... -- ............................................................... 1 1 1 APPENDIX III Treaty of Peace Behveen the Christians and Dnize 1860 ..................................................................................115 APPENDIX IV Contemporary Distribution of Lebanon's Main Religious Groups - comparing 1932 to 1983.. ..................................1 1 7 APPENDIX V Epe Witness Account Detailing PL0 Abuses in Lebanon.. ................................................................1 18 APPENDiX VI Disiri bution of Governrnent Positions by Sect. under t lie .\ lir tusar*r*flvw.- - ......................................................... 119 INTRODUCTION The political system of Lebanon devrloped within the frarnework of confessionalisrn and created a narrow system of representation which operated in an atmosphere of fragility. mistrust, hostility and conflict. No matter what reforms or adjustrnents were made to it, the Lebanese system. because it was based on sectarianism. imposed restrictions and limitations on the propess of the state. However. as eacli community Wed for its own share of power. in the long run the system couid no longer evolve nor accomplish its pals because it was iinable to handle crucial issues such as the distribution of wealth, democratic reform. elections or new factors such as the Palestinians and their military apparatlis. The purpose of this stiidy is to describe and analyze the historical evolution of the Lebanese state kom its inauguration in 1860 to its dissolution in 1975. Tliree basic trends have forrned the pattern which Lebanon has taken toward the path of dissolution. Since the inception of the Ottoman imposed political settlement in 1860. the region was divided along the lines of religious affiliations. Over time, semi-autonomous areas inside Lebanon developed under this sectarian framework and were controlled by the religious political aoups who regulated taxation, se~cesand economic C excliange in lieu of a centralized state.' Cornpetition for local power characterized the relationsliip behveen the various commiinities, and culininated into a smiggle for domination benveen status quo forces (Cliristians) and those who wanted more power in the affairs of the state iMuslims). In addition to religion. demograpliy was an equally important factor in tlic political and social situation because it determined the basis for daims in tiir shifis of power between the participants in the Lebanese body politic. The demograpliic factor was manifested in different fortns: in the traditional Maronite majority under the Ottoman nrim.saiwj&yu. in French tampenng witli the population figures by addinp territory to the newly established state of Greater Lebanon. in the influence of the Sunni Muslim commimity in political affairs and in the rise of the Shiite Muslim comm~inityas a political and military force. The dyamics of population change became a contentioiis issue tliroughout Lebanese history given the fact that the ninbers of the Sectrinanism 1\35 the only source of powr that detcrmincd nhat hpe of change took pIacc in Lcbanon from 1860 untiI the collapsc of the state in 1975. Various militias bclonging to diffcrcnt sects tore off pans of Lcbanon and converted the rims into separate fiefdoms providiq senices to the mcmbers of their obi n cornmunitics much the samc wriy ;1 national govcrnmcnt would. Sami Adeeb Ofeisli. Srctarrcrnrs~rt mi ( 'ircmge In i.&nnon lIW-IY75. (California:Ljnkersity or Southcrn California. 19961. 2. various groups were contin~ioiislyfluctuating and argued upon after the one and only officia1 census had been taken in 1932.' Since then no reliable numbers tiom either side could be accepted. Confessionalism and deiriography together were the core of Lebanon's socio-political landscape. and tlie reason for its dissolution. The sources used for this study represent both traditional scholarship and new ic-riting on the topic. The traditional research taken tiom various autliors found in Cliapter One provides an oveniew of the material which. over time. lias been updated. For instance. authors such as Nejla Abu Iuedin. lïw Ilnce, A.J. Abraham. Ixhmon ut Md ( 'rnttry, Charles concentrated tlieir works on introducing the Dnize and the Maronite Cliristians as participants to an overall problem in Moimt Lebanon. These autliors sought to introduce their studies during 1960- 1985 when little was knoivn or being wntten on tlie topic. In particular? Nejla Abu Iuedin. 7he . - - Dtrnogr:ipli?. in Lcbanon hclped dctcrminc lion shifts in political rind social pmcr occurred. Thc sire of ihc \mous cornmunitics added lcgitimaq- to thcir stmggle for dominance as the numbcrs of ach scct adcd ri prin~culargroup in richieving local powr. Disputes over the numbers of ach group bmme more contcsted in tlic mid to latter t\\.entieth ccntuq ris the data concerning ach scct was unoficirill~recorded crcatins rin atrnosphcrc of suspicion rind pamnoia. Amon