State Failure in Lebanon

State Failure in Lebanon: Causes and Implications investigates the persistent inability of Lebanon's political system to establish a cohesive, effective, and legitimate state over the past century. Drawing on theories of state-building, consociationalism, and political decay, this book explores how Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing arrangement-initially intended to manage internal divisions-has instead entrenched elite fragmentation, weakened state institutions, and obstructed the development of national cohesion. It examines how internal dynamics, including sectarianism, corruption, and institutional politicisation, have combined with foreign intervention and structural flaws to erode state authority. From the emergence of the Lebanese state to the present day, the book shows how the failure to cultivate an overarching loyalty to the state has contributed to chronic governance crises and recurring instability. Using qualitative analysis of discourse and content, it sheds new light on why Lebanon remains fragile despite repeated efforts at reform. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of Middle East politics, conflict studies, and comparative state-building, as well as policymakers and analysts concerned with governance, sectarianism, and institutional resilience in divided societies.

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 specialises 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.

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