Why you do not rebel?

The reaction of Lebanese people toward their country’s economic, political, educational, health and environmental problems is very surprising. A researcher can understand why the Lebanese accept, after a long war, that the same Zua’ama run the country. They are war-weary and want relief. But why they do not refuse to put into effect an amnesty law for civil war crimes, and why they continually vote for the same Zua’ama? Why they do approve the proposed electoral laws while the Zua’ama discuss their shares openly?

Why the secular parties have criticized the sectarian electoral bills at a time when they have been silent and taken power on a sectarian basis? Why they do not support a non-sectarian electoral law?

Why the Lebanese people are proud of letting their children immigrate?

Why they do accept to pay prohibitive university and school fees at a time when the low-fee Lebanese University and public education are destroyed?

Why they do allow the influential politicians and wealthy figures to rob the public properties and purse?

The world has changed. The political parties are no longer the same and their tools have not yet developed. People utter platitudes, yet this does not explain their silence toward what is practiced on them but their support. There are many substantial reasons that justify and prove the logicalness and practicality of people’s behavior.

Livelihood

The number of military personnel and public sector employees and retirees is about 400,000, most of whom are employed by key political actors. Moreover, the number of full-time employees (families of martyrs and activists) who directly receive monthly salaries from political forces is around 250,000. As for the private sector employees, they are roughly 800,000. 

Twenty percent of these employees are working in media, educational and health institutions, as well as in banks, companies, and associations that are directly affiliated to political forces, i.e. around 150,000.

Four hundred thousand public sector employees + 250,000 full-time employees working with political forces + 150,000 private sector employees affiliated to political forces = 800,000 employees. Therefore, if the livelihood of 800,000 people is multiplied by four, you have 3,200,000 citizens dependent on political forces. The idea becomes clear when we know that the number of Lebanese residing in the country does not exceed 4 million, which means that the livelihood and fate of 80 percent of Lebanese are intertwined with the Zua’ama’s.

The deadly ego and the realistic equation

People look around and say “does this change serve my interest?” The fate of those working with Zua’ama is well-known and the equation is:

Monthly salary + nepotism + aid + indignity

The alternative is:

No salary + no nepotism + no aid + prison and promises + a dream that may not come true

After considering this realistic equation, the only choice will be: “Having a known political affiliation is better than the unknown”.

Those who call for change or revolution fail to assure citizens that such an adventure might succeed.

Men and women like us do not have a unified mission and do not yield to each other when they ask the Zua’ama to abdicate. We do not trust each other, so how will people trust us?

Are these the reasons for not rebelling?

Here is the impasse. So in which direction shall we move?