Contesting forces within Lebanon

Nana Kwame Amponsah
Contesting Forces within Lebanon
Professor Schiff
December 15th, 2002

The contesting forces of democratization and liberalization in Lebanon are attributed to a variety of factors within the Middle East. The factors that have the greatest adverse affect on Lebanon are its political relations with Syria and a weak Lebanese central government. These two attributes are the root causes of Lebanese political instability.
Syrian presence in Lebanon has drastically altered the political, economic and social liberties within Lebanon. This presence is felt through the entire country in regard to freedom of expression and lack of political representation. Syrian hegemony has served Damascus well. It fortified a totalitarian regime by eliminating the perceived subversive influences. It has gained international leverage in foreign policy and military strategy. Syria has taken to economic exploitation through such tactics by dumping its labor surplus and products o...