“The war in Lebanon was the result of several highly connected internal and external conditions that have been in the making for a long time. … Causal … forces rooted in the existing social and political structures of the country, while [contributing forces] aggravated the internal conflicts and set the process of confrontation into motion, triggered a set of events already in the making that awaited only the proper time and place.”
Regarding this quoted statement, the purpose of our paper is to show the reasons that led to the Civil War in Lebanon from 1975 till 1990. Usually, four causes can be found throughout the literature we used for this paper: the social context within Lebanon itself, namely the unbalanced sectarian or confessional system and socioeconomic problems, namely the United States, Israel and Syria. This paper mainly deals with the causes expressed above. We do not want to describe the war itself in all its details or provide a historical chronology, instead discussion of the war will be restricted to the description of landmark events.
However, the named causes worked together in waging the Civil War. One cannot separate them from one another. Mutual interactions took place between them leading to bloodshed and hatred. The Lebanese people needed almost five decades to settle down these causes from which almost all were already present since the independence in 1943. The first attempt to resolve some of the problems with the National Pact of 1943 did not last long, before the second Civil War broke out in 1958. The latest peace agreement, the Taif Accord from 1990, reviewed most of the causes, trying to adopt political measures to prevent another outbreak of violence. Still, the accord did not get rid of the sectarian problem so far.
This paper will not deal with these events in great details. References will be made according to their importance for the topic. In this regard, we try to answer not only the questions of the causes but also how they interrelated and how they contributed to the escalation of the situation in Lebanon. Our paper describes first the social context starting with the unbalanced confessional system, followed by the socioeconomic problems. Afterwards we want to write down how the Palestine issue contributed to the Civil war and how the external actors USA, Syria, and Israel caused more and more troubles, which led to the extent of the conflict.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The Lebanese Sectarian System: The Failed Balancing Act
- Socioeconomic Reasons for the Civil War
- Contributing Forces I: The Palestine Issue
- Contributing Forces II: External Actors
- The Influence of the United States
- Israel and the PLO in Lebanon
- Syria's Role as a “Peace-Broker”
- Concluding Remarks
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to elucidate the reasons behind the Lebanese Civil War from 1975 to 1990, focusing on the internal and external factors that contributed to its eruption. The paper mainly examines four key causes, namely: the sectarian system and socioeconomic challenges within Lebanon, the role of Palestine refugees and the PLO, and the influence of external actors like the United States, Israel, and Syria.
- The sectarian system and its impact on Lebanese society
- Socioeconomic problems and their role in escalating tensions
- The influence of the Palestine issue and the PLO
- The role of external actors in exacerbating the conflict
- The interconnected nature of these factors and their contribution to the outbreak of the civil war
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter establishes the paper's focus on the causes of the Lebanese Civil War and outlines the four key areas of investigation: the sectarian system, socioeconomic issues, the Palestine issue, and the role of external actors. It underscores the interconnected nature of these factors and their role in the escalation of violence.
- The Lebanese Sectarian System: The Failed Balancing Act: This chapter explores the Lebanese state's foundation on a "mosaic social structure" characterized by diverse religious and ethnic communities with a hierarchical organization. This system fostered strong sectarian identities, leading to internal conflicts among different groups. It also analyzes the political system based on confessionalism, highlighting its evolution and the challenges posed by the diverse sectarian composition of Lebanon. The chapter further discusses the historical context of the French Mandate and its impact on the Christian-Muslim power dynamics. It emphasizes the tensions and conflicts stemming from the lack of a balanced political system and the perceived threat faced by Christians from the surrounding Islamic majority.
- Socioeconomic Reasons for the Civil War: This chapter investigates the socioeconomic factors contributing to the civil war. It delves into the Lebanese social structure, its complex religious and ethnic composition, and the impact of these factors on the socioeconomic landscape. It further examines the consequences of the lack of a balanced political system and the perceived threat to Christian communities.
- Contributing Forces I: The Palestine Issue: This chapter focuses on the role of Palestinian refugees and the PLO in the escalation of the Lebanese Civil War. It analyzes the complex relationship between Lebanon and the Palestinian community, the impact of the PLO's presence, and the resulting tensions and conflicts. The chapter aims to explain how the Palestine issue acted as a catalyst for the civil war.
- Contributing Forces II: External Actors: This chapter examines the influence of external actors, namely the United States, Israel, and Syria, on the Lebanese Civil War. It analyzes how each of these actors played a significant role in shaping the conflict, exacerbating existing tensions, and contributing to its escalation.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and themes central to this work include the Lebanese Civil War, sectarianism, confessionalism, socioeconomic challenges, the Palestine issue, the PLO, external actors, the United States, Israel, Syria, and the interconnectedness of these factors in the escalation of the conflict. The paper aims to shed light on the complex interplay of internal and external forces that led to the devastating civil war in Lebanon.
- Quote paper
- Andrea Becker (Author), Maren Reyelt (Author), 2001, The Lebanese Civil War 1975-1990: Its Causes and Actors, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/4315
