THE EFFECTS OF THE MILITARY TRADITION ON LEBANONS ASSERTIVE DRUZES

This study asks whether the defence mechanisms developed by some minorities, as a result of a combination of factors involving threats and group responses, might eventually become important 'energisers' which magnify the group's political influence. To answer this question, the study focuses on Lebanon's assertive Druze community, a heterodox Muslim sect known for having achieved considerable political influence in spite of its small numbers. Using data from several empirical works the study explores the extent to which traits associated with a military tradition, such as readiness to use force to redress grievances, internalisation of martial virtues, and others, have been transmitted to Druze youth. It was found that an action orientation and martial attitude were demonstrated to a greater extent by Druze respondents than by others, which suggests that the Druzes have internalised their community's military tradition as a prideful part of their identity. This tendency apparently reinforces intra-group cohesiveness, which is a positive factor in postwar Lebanon where other communities remain dangerously fragmented.