“The Confessional state was the most important cause of the civil war in Lebanon in 1975.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that the Confessional state was the most important cause of the civil war in Lebanon. Candidates may refer to the fact that Lebanon’s Confessional state was a fragile compromise to share political power between Christians and Muslims. The balance of power was delicate and vulnerable to change and there had been a number of conflicts amongst rival parties prior to 1975. The political balance was upset as the Muslim population increased significantly and socio-economic divisions widened further in 1973. Lebanese society fragmented into Christian and Muslim, left and right, all groups had armed militias and the state lacked power to maintain order. Further instability was caused by the presence of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Lebanon. The civil war may be seen as a result of the Middle Eastern wars which led to Israeli support for the Christians and PLO support of the left-wing Muslims which encouraged and expanded the war. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.