ABSTRACT
The largest of Lebanon’s minorities at the time modern Lebanon was established was the Maronite Christians, based in Mount Lebanon where they were a clear majority. The roots of the 1975 violence may be several, but it is clear that the precipitating factor was the Palestinian role in Lebanon. The size of the community, which by the 1970s clearly enjoyed a plurality in Lebanon, highlighted the need to bring the Shi‘as more fully into the political and economic system. Tripoli remains predominantly Sunni, but political power must be divided with the ‘Alawis, at least as long as ‘Alawis control Syria and the latter remains in Lebanon. The Arab World and Lebanon. Lebanon’s relationship with the rest of the Arab world has always been sui generis. The 1943 National Pact on which Lebanon was established balanced external as well as internal divergencies.
