Corruption and wasta in Lebanon -

Abstract

To most in Lebanon, whether private citizens, members of NGO’s, the media, scholars, and even public officials, the presence and prevalence of corruption in general and wasta in particular is almost a given. This ‘fact’ of corruption and wasta having an almost normal and natural presence in Lebanon is hardly disputed; it is however one that seems to have received very little academic research and study. Despite the prevalence of discussions of this in the media, social media, and in very day life conversations, the subject matter has not received much study and research, and knowledge of its nature, causes, and impact remains limited to say the least. With an aim to improve our understanding or our knowledge about corruption and wasta, and the importance of their study, this thesis will address the following research questions: What is corruption in general? What overlaps could be identified between wasta and corruption? Is wasta in some an expression and manifestation of corruption? What are the possible causes and manifestations of corruption, and what are the different causes that propagate the culture of clientelism and wasta? What are the cost and impact (economic and otherwise) of corruption and wasta on the functioning of the public sector apparatus? What are the ethical considerations that need to be addressed? What factors and considerations could explain the continued prevalence of the use of wasta in Lebanon, as well as possible justifications for said prevalence? In the course of this thesis, these questions will be addressed through a literature review of scholarly works covering corruption, as well as those covering clientelism and wasta. They are also addressed through a series of interviews with both academics and members of various NGO’s in Lebanon. The case studies in particular produced a number of findings: first, that wasta is viewed as somewhat distinct from the overall problem of corruption in Lebanon, though it is explicitly identified as being one manifestation o