Publication

This paper examines the formation and development of Hizbollah in the context of the Lebanese confessional political system that rests on a delicate balance between the country’s religious groups. The author details how historically the system favored the Christian and the Muslim Sunni communities, but as the Shiite community became the largest religious group in Lebanon, it demanded a greater share of the nation's power. The paper states that Hizbollah has roots in the larger Shi'ite insurrectionist movement.