Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Purpose of the arrangement: Lebanon's post-civil-war power-sharing pact assigned the top positions — President (Maronite Christian), Prime Minister (Sunni Muslim), Deputy Prime Minister (Orthodox Christian), and Speaker (Shi'a Muslim) — to specific communities to ensure every major group had a guaranteed share of power, preventing any single community from dominating and thus maintaining peace.

Why Muslims supported it despite being a majority: Muslim leaders accepted the pact because they had witnessed the devastating civil war and valued peace and stability over numerical advantage. Under the agreement, Muslims also gained a key concession — Christians agreed not to seek French protection — which was important to them. Maintaining the pact was seen as the surest guarantee against renewed sectarian bloodshed.

Source: Khalil's dilemma, Chapter 1

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• The examiner expects two distinct parts: (1) purpose of power-sharing, and (2) why Muslims accepted it despite being a majority.
• Key points to mention: guaranteed representation, prevention of dominance, lessons from civil war, and the mutual concessions (Christians drop French protection; Muslims drop demand for union with Syria).
• Avoid just listing posts — briefly explain why the arrangement existed.
• The word "peace" / "civil war experience" is essential for the second part; without it, you lose a mark.