The 1932 Census That Fixed Lebanon's Sects

In 1932, under the French Mandate, Lebanon conducted its first and only official census. The results were never updated, and they still shape Lebanese politics today. This episode unpacks how the census was designed, who it left out, and why the numbers became political dynamite. We look at the role of High Commissioner Henri Ponsot, the Maronite Patriarch's push for a Christian majority, the exclusion of Lebanese emigrants, and how the delicate balance between 18 recognised sects was frozen in time. The census paved the way for the 1943 National Pact but also planted the seeds of sectarian gridlock. A story of statistics, power, and unintended consequences.

#Lebanon #1932Census #FrenchMandate #HenriPonsot #Maronite #Sunni #Shia #Druze #Sectarianism #LebanesePolitics #NationalPact #Beirut #MiddleEast #Census #History #FexingoHistory #MandateHistory #LebaneseSects

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