Changes of the Lebanese Muslim ummah in the 1950s–1960s: Assessments of Western diplomats

A.V. Sarabiev

Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 107031 Russia

E-mail: alsaraby@ya.ru

Received July 17, 2017

Full text PDF

Abstract

The third quarter of the 20th century was marked for Lebanese Muslims by disappointment in the possibility of strengthening their positions after the period of the French mandate, when, in their view, the most important socio-political privileges were occupied by Lebanese Catholic Christians. The Sunnis' position in the Lebanese political field was determined by the adherence to the ideas of Arabism and the unity of the Arab ummah, ideas which could not be sufficiently shared by Christian politicians – even adherents of explicit pro-Arab orientation. The Shi'ite notables were at the stage of formation of their political demands, so they largely associated themselves with the Sunnis and they supported those Christian politicians who less hampered the political participation of the Muslims of Lebanon at the level of state administration. Behind the turbulent political space of Lebanon, as well as neighboring Syria, Western diplomats watched closely, trying not to lose sight of the contradictions between the religious communities, traditionally considering them as possible objects of their efforts.

Keywords: Lebanon, Muslims, Arab ummah, political rights, inter-confessional relations, British diplomats, Swiss diplomats, confessionalism

Acknowledgments. The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 17-18-01614).

References

1. Rodionov M.A., Sarabiev A.V. Maronity: traditsii, istoriya, politika [Maronites: Traditions, History, and Politics]. Moscow, Inst., Vostokoved. Ross. Akad. Nauk, 2013. 501 p. (In Russian)
2. Landa R.G. Lebanon in the years of the World War II. Vostok. Afro-Aziatskie Obshchestva: Istoriya i Sovremennost', 2015, no. 3, pp. 63–71. (In Russian)
3. Chronological summary of events. Chronology of International Events and Documents, 1946, vol. 2, no. 15, pp. 437–462.
4. Petran T. The Struggle over Lebanon. New York, Mon. Rev. Press, 1987. 431 p.
5. Suleiman M.W. Elections in a confessional democracy. Journal of Politics, 1967, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 109–128.
6. Johnson M. Class and Client in Beirut: The Sunni Muslim Community and the Lebanese State 1840–1985. London, Ithaca Press, 1986. 244 p.
7. Landa R.G. Istoriya Livana. XX vek [Lebanon History. 20th Century]. Moscow, Inst. Vostokoved. Ross. Akad. Nauk, 2016. 276 p. (In Russian)
8. Khashan H. The Lebanese state: Lebanese unity and the Sunni Muslim position. International Sociology, 1992, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 85–97.
9. P.M., A.F. Libano. Oriente Moderno, 1960, Anno 40, Nr. 7/8, pp. 445–456. (In Italian)
10. Das Ergebnis in Wahlen in Libanon. Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 1960, 5. Juli. (In German)
11. Developments of the quarter: Comment and chronology. Middle East Journal, 1961, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 178–210.
12. Suleiman M.W. The role of political parties in a confessional democracy: The Lebanese case. Western Political Quarterly, 1967, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 682–693.
13. Timofeev I.V. Kamal' Dzhumblat [Kamal Jumblatt]. Moscow, Progress, 2003. 494 p. (In Russian)

For citation: Sarabiev A.V. Changes of the Lebanese Muslim ummah in the 1950s–1960s: Assessments of Western diplomats. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Gumanitarnye Nauki, 2017, vol. 159, no. 6, pp. 1541–1555. (In Russian)

The content is available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.