Lebanon, civil war my father and his family is driving back to the village, they are all Muslim. As they drive, they are forced to stop at the militia post, at the time the militia are commanded to shoot anyone that’s Muslim. So, my grandfather roles down his wind and gives the solider everyone’s ID. The solider reads one name and it’s my uncle Dani, he says “ok you guys can pass.” My family escaped death since the fact that the next ID was my uncle Mohamed which is a Muslim name. The civil war mad many people leave Lebanon and as these people spread around the world, they adapt a new type of conventional wisdom. It’s that Lebanese people are always in business. So, in this article I’m going to challenge this conventional wisdom to find the source of it and to see if it is actually really. So finally, why are Lebanese people always in business?
First of all, one big question that’s is important to know is how are Lebanese people a diaspora? What made them leave? The big answer is the post effects of Lebanese civil, for a perspective of what the war is about, image your everyday life was filled with uncertainty. Uncertainty that you might get hit today or tomorrow, your death day could have been sooner or later, fear of tomorrow killed you every day. Many religious groups were completely divided at the time and as a result uncertainty got the best of people. Gratefully in 1990 the war ended with the Taif accord being signed. The Taif Accord as said by Khoury, “The Accord ushered in Lebanon’s Second Republic, where power is equally divided between the Christian and Muslin communities”. As for what Khoury said, this accord seems promising by promoting equality, however the real implications of the accord are more sinister. As it is later stated by Khoury, “In fact, the…settlement that would appease the elites (elite “reconciliation”) rather than resolving the underlying issues of the conflict (national reconciliation).” I agree with Khoury on this however, this is not just an option it’s a big fact in Lebanon that the accord didn’t resolve anything. Not only that but the Taif Accord created the amnesty law which allowed anyone that actively took part in the civil war to have immunity from conviction. This quote from Haugbolle really shows us how corrupt this law is “However, amnesties that grant impunity for gross human rights violations without investigation are incompatible with international law.” Now with a corrupt country, terrible militia leaders were able to put themselves in key positions in government. This created a dangerous environment for the people since stating your option can cost you a life. There’s a whole generation from the post war who are filled with fear of uncertainty. As a result, to be at peace and safe they move away, leaving their corrupt homes. They settle in other countries and try to forget what happened back in Lebanon.
Secondly, does being a diaspora effect if Lebanese people should open a business? Now as Lebanese people leave the warm and cozy home they settle in unknown areas. They carry their past with them, they are hit with negative stereotypes from their new country. In order to overcome these stereotypes, they try to prove that they are good citizens. Often times they would open business to show the public that they are helping the community. However as much as they try to assimilate to their new country, they miss they smell of spices and gasoline in the air from Lebanon. Maybe that’s why Arabs always own a gas station, it smells like home. This is another reason why they open business in order attract Lebanese community with the comforting smell of cumin and zaatar. Also, many of these immigrants carry their baggage from Lebanon to their new countries. Business ownership is rooted deep in Lebanese culture. Usually when Lebanese create new business in other countries it’s often related to their past life in Lebanon. Take for example my uncle Mohammed Hage owner of Lufa Farms, a roof top green-house company in Montreal. The idea of company dates back to his childhood in Lebanon when he was working in the field growing vegetables for the family. Now in Montreal he’s apart of Canadian culture and at the same time he’s created a Lebanese community around his business. Finally, traditionally Lebanese people always have an eye for business and when they arrive to a new country they try to fit in while keeping their roots alive.
Another big thing to point out is why Lebanese people are successful. One big reason is due to how corrupt Lebanon is. With a corrupt government people can’t rely on the institution to provide and help its citizens. So, as a result people start becoming more independent and they begin to provide for themselves. This quote from Kabbany explains the struggle with the government, “In Lebanon, people don’t rely on the government as much. They’re more independent…. If there’s a need, then there’s an entrepreneur creating a service for it. That is just the way it is.” I really agree with Kabbany in this quote, when he says “That is just the way it is” just shows that is a part of Lebanese people’s personality. So, with an independence from the government “Lebanese entrepreneurs have learned to be flexible and resilient” (The Economist). This is truly what makes the difference in how successful these people are. For example, when covid-19 hit and everyone was panicking and closing everything my dad who own a restaurant in the airport stayed opened. I remember he said:
“Hassan, we need to go to Rona and get some supplies, we’re installing plexiglass at the cases”
I remember thinking at the time that he was really on top of the corona virus and taking quick control of the issue. My dad quickly adapted to the situation. So now him and 3 other restaurants (also owned by Arabs) are the only ones that are helping the airport gain revenue. It’s clear that Lebanese people’s adaptability and flexibility is what really makes them stand out in the market today.
My journey to understand why Lebanese people are involved in entrepreneurship has come to an end. This conventional wisdom has shown a deeper meaning and it’s all rooted from the civil war. Which leads to how corrupt Lebanon has become, to the eventual emigration of Lebanese people. This back story all leads to one point and really shows the dramatic changes my people have gone through in order to adapt. Finally, I just hope that the community could finally bring Lebanon back to the way it was.
Work Cited
“Lebanese Family Creates American Entrepreneurs”. New American Economy, https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/feature/lebanese-family-creates-american-entrepreneurs/
“A Tale of Two Traders; The Lebanese Diaspora.” The Economist, no. 8827, 2013, p. 68. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.322304320&site=eds-live&scope=site.
Ghosn, Faten, and Amal Khoury. “Lebanon after the Civil War: Peace or the Illusion of Peace?” Middle East Journal, vol. 65, no. 3, Summer 2011, pp. 381–397. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3751/65.3.12.
Abdelhady, Dalia. The Lebanese Diaspora : The Arab Immigrant Experience in Montreal, New York, and Paris. NYU Press, 2011. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=386947&site=eds-live&scope=site.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_Civil_War
Torgeir Fjeld, and Sharif Abdunnur. “Lebanon in Revolt.” Inscriptions, no. 1, 2020. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsdoj&AN=edsdoj.424715458080483a8e29c99d4e17c5cb&site=eds-live&scope=site.
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