State Failure in Lebanon

Causes and Implications
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-032-63230-8
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 334 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 453 g

Reihe: Durham Modern Middle East and Islamic World Series

This book argues that the state in Lebanon has failed. It argues that the consociational power-sharing system is the cause of this, in that it allows members of the political elites to pursue the interests of their own sect, often in corrupt ways, rather than work in the interests of Lebanon overall. It traces developments from the nineteenth century onwards, through the formation of Lebanon by the French mandatory power in 1920, through independence and the making of the constitution in 1943, internal conflicts including the civil war of 1975-1989, the various settlements, rarely implemented as planned, and on to recent events where the collapse of the state shows itself in the government’s failure to provide basic public services, such as clean water, rubbish collection, electricity and fast internet. It highlights how foreign powers have often intervened, but contends that any lasting settlement has to be the result of internal initiatives which would involve inclusive citizenship, demolishing sectarianism, and prioritizing the role of institutions and the rule of law.

Zielgruppe

Academic

Autoren/Hrsg.

Geukjian, Ohannes

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Studien zu einzelnen Ländern und Gebieten
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Zentralregierung
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Mentalitäts- und Sozialgeschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Naher & Mittlerer Osten
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziologie Allgemein Empirische Sozialforschung, Statistik
• Sozialwissenschaften Ethnologie | Volkskunde Volkskunde

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Contents

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations

List of Tables

1-Introduction

2-State-Making and State Breakdown in Lebanon, 1800s-1975

3-The Tai’f Agreement and Attempts to Re-Build the Post-War State, 1989-2005

4-War, Political Instability, and Still-Born State-Building, 2006-2017

5-Economic and Political signals of State Failure, 2018

6-Downward Spiral and State Failure, 2019-2020

7-Conclusion

Appendixes

Bibliography

Index

Über Autor(innen)

Ohannes Geukjian is an associate professor of comparative politics and conflict resolution in the department of Political Studies and Public Administration at the American University of Beirut. He specializes in intra-state conflict, nationalism, nation-building, state-building, and peace-building in deeply divided societies. His research focuses on the Middle East, the south Caucasus and Russia.