From: eliedw@ulrik.uio.no (Elie Dib Wardini)
Subject: Nations and states modern jargon!
Organization: Univerity of Oslo, Semitics dep.
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 19:40:07 GMT

Often when we (me included) speak of history we seem to take ourselves back in
time and try to figure out how people must have libed and thought.

Yet all to often we forget to leave behind (in the 2oth century) our ideas,
ideologies, concepts etc.

We take our notions of how things are and how they should be, and travel in
time and transpose our ideas to the past.

So to speak of the Lebanese nation before the end of the 19th century beging of
the 20th. century would be anachronistic.

In fact the notion "nation" as we know it now did not exist.

There were nations, but from the beginning of Islam and up to the end of te
19th century a nation was equal a religious sect.

Thus those who had the Greek version of Christianity were called Ruum, either
they came from Greece or Zanzibaar! The Greeks up to the 18th century called
themselves: Rumm so did the Ruum in Lebanon. 


Then we come to the question of borders.

Ther were no borders at the time. Not as we know them today. There were no
check points at which you had to sgow your passport. Your clothes, and speach
revealed your origin. Often the name or the nick-name.


So to speak of Lebanon as a "country" before 1860 is anachronous. In 1860 many
parts which at times were under the control of Lebanese princes were detached
from Lebanon and the Mutasarifiyya was created. THis Mustasriyiyya had borders,
as we understand the term today.


THerefore speaking of borders between Lebanon and Syria before these two
countries were created by France in the early 20th century would be wrong.

What I say here is also true about the country named Syria today.

The term Syria has its history, but we need not take it up. here.

previously there were hierchies of rulers.


The ruler of the empire, the governors of regions, the rulers of districts, the
princes of parts of districts and actual shaykh of the village.

THis system entailed intrigues that could be the basis for 1001 novels!

thus areas shifted from hand to hand, from prince to prince from Wazir to wazir
from emperor to emperor depending on how the stakes were at the time.

To say that shuch a district belonged in xxxx year to such means nothing,
because in year xxxx it belonged to someone else.


Even if we would want to place borders between asia and europe we would find
that we will have problems. Some areas shifted from hand to hand depending on
who won the war or who married whom.


What at the end brings people together in the 20th century is a desire to share
a nation and a future together (how romantic?!  :)  )

True that there are historiacal and cultural reasons why these people may want
to live with or without others.

If we look at the Middle East on a large scale, the area where the state of
Lebanon lies today, was but a part of a whole that spaned from Vienna to
Aghanistan including most of the eastern mediterranian.


yet if we look at Lebanon from a regional perspective, we see that even if
areas did in fact change hand ike peole change gloves and clothes, there was a
sort of red thread that goes through history.

In fact and without being sarcastic, it was Damascus that was the city with
whom the Lebanese princes fought the most. THis still continues. Yes proximity
can at times bind people together, but when one is a bad neighbour (either the
Lebanese or the Syrians) this proximity can cause enmity.


So back to the 20th century. The state of things is that we have nations and
borders.

THese borders should not be changed by wars and agression. Otherwise let us
praise the ability of the Israelis. The rule of the strongest!

if there are going to be any changes in borders, they should be done by the
will of those peole who live in the affected areas.

Lebanon is not created by God, nor is Syria nor is France nor is Denmark (if I
say Norway, they will kick me out in an hour!)


No country or ruler or dictator or authority has the right to dispose of
peolple.



elie wardini