As Lebanon slipped into a violent civil war, sectarian taïfas became more powerful while the opportunity for establishing a state faded. The dynamics of this conflict were not initially sectarian, but it brought to the forefront new warlords, and armed militias further institutionalized sectarian taïfas. As the civil war ended through a multinational settlement these […]
In Lebanon as in other former Ottoman ruled regions, sectarian taïfas are religious sectarian communities that are more than mere groups of individuals who share common beliefs. Sectarian taïfas are exclusive entities that develop in stateless regions or rise from the ashes of a failed state to serve a specific purpose: The protection of their […]
When we state the fall of the power system, we mean that it’s financial and economical machinery has broken down. The authority is no longer able to manage the relationships that legitimated it, from the relationship between the tenant and the owner, the depositor and the banks, fuel distributors and filling stations, to the relationships […]
This phenomenon is generally caused by crises or wars, and sometimes even by decisions which are not unanimous within the authority. For example, the military defeats of certain states during the Second World War that caused the fall of the existing ideologies. The transition of the economies of the countries of the former Soviet bloc […]
Contrary to popular belief, many of the changes in socio-political systems were a result of negotiations between several actors who may be internal or external. More than 50 countries have experienced peaceful transitions of power, including Tunisia, Sudan, South Africa, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Hungary, El Salvador, France, and others. Some examples will be highlighted to […]
To say that the power system is a system of relations means that the issue is independent of certain officials. The fundamental issue is not with individuals; it is with an impotent system. These individuals are only a reflection of the prevailing system of societal relations, so they are condemned to fulfill the roles of […]
A power system is a system of prevailing relationships between individuals or groups of humans, including the predominance of some over others. The system grants to the rulers a number of privileges, the most important of which are the specific security and financial tools that are tolerated by the majority. Rulers are the only party […]
The party adopts a pragmatic approach based on critical thinking and structural organization to serve its main goals. To maintain agility and effectiveness the party opted for a centralized decision-making process through which the executive committee makes key decisions and sets the party’s main direction. Lebanon is currently in a transitional period that requires swift […]
Self-funding is a core principle of Citizens in a State. Being self-funded allows the party to be politically independent and prevents outside interference in its decision making. All members of the party are required to declare their income and net worth to the secretary general who then calculates the membership fee that each must pay. […]
In August 2015, Lebanon witnessed popular demonstrations in response to the government’s failure to manage the garbage crisis. The demonstrations led to the formation of several political groups opposed to the government. However, those groups failed to articulate a unified political framework around which they could organize and mobilize. This failure allowed the sectarian leaders […]