Hezbollah and Lebanon Relations: a glance at formation and developments of Hezbollah

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

Social and political movements are categorized under social changes. At the same time, in the contemporary Eastern and Islamic societies, these movements are considered as a kind of reaction towards transition process from traditional societies to new ones. Every Islamic movement with emancipator and anti-colonial orientation has adopted strategy and tactic on the basis of two components i.e. “structure” including systemic factors, s+ociopolitical pressures, identity crises, and “agent” including leadership and ideology. These strategies and tactics have been either revolutionary or reformist. On this basis, some of them have tried to adapt themselves to their environment and some others have chosen to adopt a reaction strategy in order to confront with critical conditions. As one of Islamic movements emerging in the critical conditions of Lebanon, Hezbollah has tried to use two reaction and adaptation strategies towards Lebanon’s historical developments in the framework of radical and realist approaches. Anyway, Hezbollah’s stances regarding Lebanon’s problems in relation to the governments of this country have taken place within the framework of radical or reaction pattern and realist or adaptive one. On this basis, Hezbollah has not adopted a unified sstrategy towards the governments of Lebanon but it has taken stances according to Lebanon’s political and historical needs which are affected by domestic and international conditions. In all eras, Hezbollah has adopted an approach accompanied by interaction and confrontation within the framework of radical and realist patterns. Therefore this article seeks to examine the political and historical relations between Hezbollah and Lebanon governments in a descriptive and analytical way by using Herier Dekmegian’s crisis theory.

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