Consociational Democracy in Post-War Lebanon:

Maintaining Negative Peace and Stability Amidst Sectarian Divisions

Abstract

Is consociational democracy the only viable solution for maintaining direct negative peace and stability in contemporary Lebanon? This paper argues in favour of consociational democracy as the most effective approach to preserving direct negative peace and stability in post-war Lebanon. The rationale behind this claim stems from the impracticality and unsuitability of alternative solutions, particularly transformative liberal approaches, within Lebanon's specific context. Implementing such alternatives would jeopardise cooperation among elites representing different sectarian groups, leading to a perilous power vacuum and the potential for civil war reoccurrence. To contribute to the academic discourse, this paper systematically examines Lebanon's post-war regime and sectarian cleavages, identifying it as a consociational democracy through primary resources like the Lebanese constitution and the Taif Accord. Additionally, it critically analyses pertinent literature encompassing both qualitative and quantitative research, enriching the scholarly debate on this topic.