Paper edition reprint of a 1997 work, about which Book News wrote: Looks at the highly complex process of Lebanon's emergence as a nation-state and reassesses Lebanese political history in the interwar years, drawing on recently declassified sources from the French High Commission in Syria and Lebanon. Examines inter- and intra-sectarian rivalries, the Christian-Muslim discourse on Lebanon's national identity, and relations with the West and the Arab Muslim world, set against the backdrop of conflicting pressures from Paris and Damascus. Discusses political, social, and economic trends within the context of France's Middle East policy, the Franco-Syrian imbroglio, and Syria's political and territorial ambitions in Lebanon. Distributed by St. Martin's Press. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Lebanon's unique political system and its laissez-faire political economy took shape during the period between the two great wars. Based on hitherto unstudied material, this work examines the inter- and intra-sectarian relations in Lebanon against the backdrop of the conflicting pressures from Damascus and Paris, the stands of the Christians and Muslims towards the Lebanese state, the ideological and political trends that emerged within each community and the rise of the political and economic elites in Beirut.
